The Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, has yet to commence production despite the earlier announced commencement date of August, according to Aliko Dangote, the President of the Dangote Group. During the official commissioning of the refinery by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May, Dangote had stated that the first product would be in the market before the end of July or the beginning of August.
However, it has been reported that no refined petroleum products from the refinery have reached the market several weeks after the promised production deadline.
Garba Deen, spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, had stated in June that the company planned to reduce its fuel imports program in August once the Dangote Refinery began production. A top source from the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria confirmed that NNPCL had indeed reduced its importation activities.
Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Agency, also corroborated this information in June, stating that NNPCL had scaled back on imports.
Officials from the Dangote Refinery’s Communications Department did not provide a comment on the matter as of the time of reporting. However, an anonymous source within the refinery management revealed uncertainty about when petrol refining would commence at the Ibeju-Lekki facility.
Festus Osifo, President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, suggested that the Federal Government should prioritize completing the Port Harcourt refinery instead of relying on the Dangote refinery. He emphasized the importance of making other refineries in the country operational to reduce importation and prices.
Mike Osatuyi, National Controller of Operations for the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, expressed confidence in petrol supply, stating that NNPCL was still importing fuel. He suggested that internal challenges might have delayed production at the Dangote refinery and advised the government to focus on bringing other local refineries online.