In a surprising turn of events, the highly anticipated Dangote Refinery’s Sparks, boasting a production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has failed to commence production as initially promised by Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group. The refinery, which was officially commissioned by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May, has missed its production deadline, leaving many eager consumers waiting for the promised influx of refined petroleum products.
During the commissioning ceremony, Dangote assured the public, stating, “Your excellencies, distinguished guests, our first product will be in the market before the end of July or beginning of August this year.” However, weeks after the anticipated deadline has passed, there has been no sign of refined petroleum products from the refinery hitting the market, according to findings by The PUNCH.
Dangote Refinery’s Sparks Garba Deen, the spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), had previously announced plans to reduce fuel imports in August once the Dangote Refinery started production, but this expectation has not materialized. Even the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria confirmed that NNPCL had scaled back its importation efforts.
Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, echoed these sentiments, affirming that NNPCL had indeed reduced its importation activities. However, officials from the Communications Department of Dangote Refinery remained tight-lipped on the matter when approached for comment.
Inside sources at the refinery have also expressed uncertainty about the commencement date for petrol refining at the Ibeju-Lekki facility. One undisclosed source stated, “For now, the management has not come out with any official date.”
In response to these developments, Festus Osifo, President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, urged the Federal Government to prioritize the completion of the Port Harcourt refinery over the Dangote refinery. Osifo argued that focusing on other refineries would reduce importation costs and ultimately lower fuel prices, emphasizing that Dangote’s refinery, although supported by the government with a 20% stake, remained a private enterprise that could change its refining plans at any time.
National Controller of Operations for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mike Osatuyi, attempted to allay fears about a potential petrol supply shortage. He suggested that the Dangote refinery might have encountered internal challenges leading to production delays. Osatuyi echoed the sentiment that the government should prioritize the development of other local refineries to ensure a stable and diverse supply of petroleum products.
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