The ongoing controversy regarding the sulphur content in diesel produced by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has sparked significant debate among stakeholders in Nigeria's oil sector.
Recent reports have alleged that the diesel from the $20 billion refinery contains elevated levels of sulphur, raising concerns about its quality.
However, oil marketers have stated that, to date, no complaints have been lodged by motorists or industrial consumers regarding the product.
Abubakar Maigandi, the National President of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, emphasized that the association does not wish to engage in the ongoing disputes about the refinery's diesel.
He noted, "No transporter, motorist, or industrial consumer has complained about the diesel since we started distributing it."
In response to the allegations, a senior official from the Dangote Group dismissed the claims as unfounded and suggested that they were part of a campaign to undermine the refinery's reputation.
This official characterized the reports as "fake" and asserted that they originated from individuals intent on damaging the refinery's credibility.
The controversy has also seen accusations from Dangote Group officials directed at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). They claim that the NMDPRA has been complicit in allowing the importation of substandard fuel, which threatens the viability of the Dangote refinery.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries, criticized the NMDPRA for issuing licenses to importers of high-sulphur diesel, stating that this practice undermines local production efforts.
Edwin further highlighted that the Dangote refinery has been compliant with regulations set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which prohibit the importation of highly contaminated diesel.
