The Federal Government has announced that the importation of refined petroleum products will continue alongside the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Officials emphasized the importance of not becoming overly reliant on the $20 billion refinery located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos.

They expressed concerns regarding the refinery's demand that all oil marketers purchase products exclusively from its facilities, which they argue undermines competition in the sector.

In response to ongoing issues in the industry, the House of Representatives has established an ad-hoc committee to investigate allegations that crude oil is not being supplied to the Dangote refinery.

This inquiry follows complaints from oil marketers about the lack of crude supply from International Oil Companies (IOCs) to local refiners.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has stated that it is actively working to ensure a steady supply of crude oil to the Dangote refinery and other modular refinery operators, vowing to address the ongoing challenges in the sector.

Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), reiterated that the government will not halt the importation of petroleum products, asserting that Nigeria cannot depend solely on one refinery for its fuel needs.

He made these remarks during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, where he also refuted claims from the Dangote Group that IOCs are obstructing the refinery by withholding crude supplies.

Ahmed clarified that the Dangote refinery, which has been selling diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria for several months, has not yet received its operating license and remains in the pre-commissioning phase. He noted that the refinery is currently about 45% complete.