Dangote Petroleum Refinery is set to roll out the sale of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol.
This development comes after the refinery, which boasts a 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity, successfully conducted a test run of its petrol production. Industry insiders have confirmed that the product will soon be available.
Following this, a government source, who pleaded anonymity, also confirmed that the government and the Dangote Group were working on finishing details regarding the distribution and sale of the petrol.
The source added that only the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited would be authorized to sell the Dangote fuel at the moment.
This move follows a series of challenges that delayed the refinery’s initial plans to launch in June. A significant obstacle was the shortage of crude oil, which was further complicated by a dispute with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDRA).
Recall that petrol from the Dangote refinery was supposed to have been out since June, but the refinery battled crude shortage and entered into a brawl with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority, which accused the refinery of producing substandard diesel.
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Dangote Group had accused the NUPRC of failing to effectively enforce the Domestic Crude Supply Obligations regulations, saying the refinery had yet to get enough crude locally.
Anthony Chiejina, the spokesperson for the Dangote Group, emphasised, “We appreciate the allocation, but we are yet to receive the majority of these cargoes. We believe Nigerian refineries should have direct access to locally produced crude rather than relying on international middlemen.”
However, progress appears to have been made following the Federal Government’s directive to supply crude to the refinery in local currency.
As the rollout of Dangote petrol approaches, Nigerians hope the new supply will reduce PMS’s pump price. However, the ongoing disputes over crude supply raise questions about the long-term stability of this new venture.
