IN a momentous development for Nigeria’s energy landscape, Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a flagship of the Dangote Group, has officially commenced the production of diesel and aviation fuel, marking a historic milestone with transformative implications.
Group President Alhaji Aliko Dangote expressed his joy and gratitude, emphasising the pivotal role played by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the realisation of this ambitious project. In a statement, Dangote 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.’
Acknowledging the collaborative efforts of key stakeholders, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Dangote extended gratitude, saying, ‘We also thank the NNPC, NUPRC, and NMDPRA for their support. These organisations have been our dependable partners in this historic journey.’
He highlighted the significance of the refinery’s production, stating, ‘This is a big day for Nigeria. We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. This is a game changer for our country, and I am very fulfilled with the actualisation of this project.’
The refinery, strategically located with two Single Point Moorings (SPMs) situated 25 kilometres from the shore, has already received six million barrels of crude oil. Dangote confirmed the project’s progress, saying, ‘The Refinery can load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries. The products from the Refinery will conform to Euro V specifications. The refinery design complies with the World Bank, US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms. Employing state-of-the-art technology.’
Expressing appreciation to the various contributors, Dangote highlighted the crucial role of bankers and financiers, both local and offshore. ‘I must extend our sincere appreciation to our bankers and financiers, both local and offshore, who demonstrated a great deal of patience, in seeing us through many difficult times.’
He also commended the proactive efforts of the Lagos State government, led by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, saying, ‘I also sincerely thank our host communities and their traditional leaders for their sustained patience, forbearance, and admirable willingness to work with us to find amicable and win-win resolutions to the many issues we have had to deal with as the construction of this huge facility progressed. Our staff have also contributed so immensely to the success of this project. I thank them profusely.’
As the refinery anticipates regulatory approvals, Dangote assured that the products would be in the market within the month, marking a significant step forward for Nigeria’s energy independence and economic development.