Dangote Refinery still at pre commissioning stage, Nigeria can’t rely on it – NMDPRA

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, has noted that the Dangote Refinery is about at about 45 percent completion, arguing that the country cannot rely on it alone because of the implications it would have for energy security and monopoly.

He disclosed that Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group had requested that importation of petroleum products, especially AGO or jet kero be stopped and all marketers be directed to the refinery, but explained that doing so would have implications for energy security.

Ahmed who spoke to journalists in Abuja, as captured in a now viral video, also noted that products from the Dangote Refinery and othe major refineries in the country are of inferior quality compared to imported ones.

He also denied claims by some media outlets that they were trying to scuttle the Dangote Refinery.

“There are a lot of concerns about the supply of petroleum products nationwide, and the claims by some media houses that we are trying to scuttle Dangote Refinery is not so. Dangote Refinery is still in pre commissioning stage, we haven’t licensed them yet,” he said.

“I think they are at about 45 percent completion. So, we cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop all importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO or jet kero and direct all marketers to the refinery, but that is not good for the nation in terms of energy security. And that’s not good for the nation because of monopoly.

“In terms of quality, currently the AGO quality in terms of sulphur is the lowest as far as West African requirement of 50 PPM. Dangote Refinery, as well as some major refineries like Waltersmith produce between 650 to 1200 PPM. So, in terms of quality, their quality is much inferior to the imported quality.”