Against criticisms, Nigerian govt makes case for imported fuel, carpets Dangote refinery, others

In a damning verdict, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has described the quality of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery, as well as those from other refineries like Watersmith, Aradel, as inferior in quality compared to imported ones.
This is even as the agency disclosed that the 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery has not been issued an operational licence by NMDPRA.
This is according to the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA Farouk Ahmed in a recent interview with journalists, a video of which is currently circulating on X.
He noted that the Lagos-based Dangote Refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage and about 45 per cent completed.
Ahmed added that the country cannot risk dependence on Dangote Refinery by suspending petroleum products import, especially Automotive Gas Oil and Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK).
He said: “That is not so. Dangote Refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licenced yet. We haven’t licenced them yet. I think they are about 45 per cent to completion.
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“We cannot rely on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we suspend or stop imports, especially of AGO and DPK, and direct all marketers to his refinery. That is not good for the nation in terms of energy security, and it is not good for the market because of the monopoly.”
Ahmed said that in terms of quality, Dangote’s current AGO (diesel) suffers from the lowest quality in terms of sulphur content, falling short of West Africa’s requirement of 50 parts per million (PPM).
“Dangote Refinery, as well as some modular refineries like Watersmith Refinery and Aradel Refinery, are producing between 650 and 1,200 PPM. Therefore, in terms of quality, their products are much, much, more inferior to imported ones,” he stated.
This development is coming on the heels of claims by Dangote Refinery that marketers are importing below-standard petroleum products into the country, a claim which has been debunked by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
It is also against the backdrop of criticisms against the Nigerian government which has continued to encourage export of crude oil and import of refined products. Many have asked why the government keeps spending money on the country’s four refineries which have continued to remain inactive for many years.
There have also been questions raised as to how the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC Ltd has remained unaccountable for quantity of crude exported against the quantity of fuel imported. There have been no account over the years of what is done with other by-products from the crude exported out of the country to be refined and returned.
By: Babajide Okeowo
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