On Monday, Feb 23 , Oil marketers declared that they are still awaiting the supply of refined petroleum product from the $20bn Dangote petroleum refinery, four weeks after the launch of production at the multi-billion dollar plant.
On January 12, 2024, Dangote refinery announced that it had commenced the production of Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, and aviation fuel or JetA1.
The President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, in a statement issued by his firm at the time, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support, encouragement, and thoughtful advice towards the actualisation of the project.
Dangote also thanked the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NMDPRA and Nigerians for their support and belief in the historic project, as he revealed that the facility would pump out diesel and aviation fuel in January, subject to regulatory approvals.
He said, “We thank President Bola Tinubu for his support and for making our dream come true. This production, as witnessed today, would not have been possible without his visionary leadership and prompt attention to details.
“His intervention at various stages cleared all impediments thereby accelerating the actualisation of the project. We also thank the NNPC, NUPRC and NMDPRA for their support. These organisations have been our dependable partners in this historic journey.
“We also thank Nigerians for their belief and support in this project. We have started the production of diesel and aviation fuel, and the products will be in the market within this month once we receive regulatory approvals.”
The firm had also registered independent and major oil marketers to start lifting products from the plant, but operators in the sector stated on Monday that nothing of such had commenced yet.
“They have not called us up till now,” the National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, stated when contacted on Monday.
He added, “However, we are still optimistic that they will call us to come and start lifting products. It is when we start loading that we can talk about the price and others.
“So for now we are awaiting their call and we assure Nigerians that once we start loading products from there, it is going to get to the over 30,000 filling stations operated by IPMAN members across the country.”