By Jimmy Anisulowo
Doubt has reportedly set in for the management of the Dangote Refinery. This is due to uncertainties over the operational kick-off of the most anticipated refinery in Africa, Ikejabird reports.
The refinery, which was projected to begin operations in July 2023, has, so far, not produced one drop of refined petroleum product for the market.
Sources within the Dangote refinery, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the management was unsure of when petrol refining would begin at the Ibeju-Lekki facility.
Dangote Refinery Launch
It should be recalled that the launch of the Dangote Refinery last year generated a lot of frenzy and excitement. Captains of industries and celebrities from across sectors, including the political class, gathered to witness a grand occasion heralding the launch of a new dawn in Nigeria’s history in May 2023.
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It was another feather on the cap of Nigerian billionaire industrialist and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. Partly sponsored by Afrexim Bank, the project aimed at putting Nigeria on the map as the biggest oil refining country in Africa with a historic 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery.
While delivering his speech at the official commissioning of the refinery by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May, Dangote said, “Your excellencies, distinguished guests, our first product will be in the market before the end of July or beginning of August this year.”
Error 404: Oil Not Found
However, it’s been four months since the refinery’s official launch, and even though the management earlier assured commencement of crude oil refining in July of 2023, as of the time of publishing this news, not even a drop of crude oil has been produced for the market by the refinery. This is according to a report by The Punch.
The 650,000 barrels per day that Dangote Refinery promised is nowhere to be found. In fact, sources are now saying is faced with possible a bleak future. This was even as Garba Deen, spokesperson for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, said in June that the NNPC would cut down its fuel imports programme in August once the Dangote Refinery began to push out refined petroleum products latest August.
The sad but pitiable development calls to heart a video filmed and shared on the internet by artisan workers of the refinery who were heard loudly saying that the refinery was nowhere near completion. They added that major internal works were yet to be completed at the time.
The video, which went viral, immediately created doubt in the hearts of many who were hopeful for a July or August operations kick-off of the refinery project which had been considered as the “messiah” of Nigeria’s oil sector at the time.
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Dangote Media Managers Silent, PPNG Reacts
As of the time of publishing this report, the media managers of Dangote Group have declined to speak on the matter. “For now, the management has not come out with any official date,” the source within the refinery said.
Meanwhile, in a recent development, Festus Osifo, President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, advised the Federal Government to focus on completing the Port Harcourt refinery rather than focusing on the Dangote refinery.
Providing a reason for his conviction, Mr. Osifo said, “We should rather focus on making other refineries work because it would cut down on freight rates from importation, and would reduce prices. Aliko Dangote is a private businessman and can decide tomorrow that he will not refine again, although the government has a 20% stake in the refinery. We should rather push for our own refineries, and ask the government the question such as; when is the Port Harcourt refinery going to start refining petrol?”
On the other hand, the National Controller Operations, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mike Osatuyi, also said there was no cause for alarm as far as petrol supply was concerned as the NNPCL was still importing.
According to him, management of the Dangote refinery may have delayed production, due to some internal challenges. He, however, also advised the Federal Government to ensure that other local refineries come on stream rather than depend on the Dangote refinery.
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