The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is to supply fuel to about 150,000 retail outlets operated by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria following a meeting between the management of the refinery and executives of IPMAN.
When contacted on Friday evening to confirm if the meeting was held, the President, IPMAN, Abubakar Maigandi, stated that the association had finally met with the management of the refinery, adding that the latter agreed to supply products to the over 30,000 members of IPMAN.
The PUNCH had also reported on Monday that seven major oil marketers in Nigeria had registered with the refinery for the lifting and distribution of refined petroleum products produced by the $20bn plant.
On January 12, 2024, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced that it had commenced the production of Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, and JetA1 also known as aviation fuel.
The association’s president said the management of the plant would be supplying products to the 150,000 stations of IPMAN nationwide.
The seven major marketers include 11 Plc, Conoil Plc, Ardova Plc, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, OVH Energy Marketing Limited, Total Nigeria Plc and NNPC Retail.
Maigandi, in a conversation, expressed optimism about the refinery supplying products to all 150,000 IPMAN stations nationwide. He emphasized the refinery's capacity and potential to alleviate fuel scarcity once operational.
Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, mentioned the production of diesel and aviation fuel, with plans to release the products into the market pending regulatory approvals.
"We have started the production of diesel and aviation fuel, and the products will be in the market within this month once we receive regulatory approvals. This is a big day for Nigeria.'"
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Project, a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited, is a 650,000 barrels per day crude oil refinery, located in Dangote Industries Free Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria.
The refinery design complies with the World Bank, US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources emission/effluent norms, employing state-of-the-art technology.
The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had stated on Friday that the products would be released to the market after regulatory approvals.
"There is no license yet. But it is in the process because the license is not just issued like that. There are things that should be done and these things must be completed, and they (regulatory officials) are there right now as we speak."
"The Dangote refinery, located in Lagos, has so far received six million barrels of crude oil at its two SPMs located 25 km from the shore. The first crude delivery was done on December 12, 2023, and the 6th cargo was delivered on January 8, 2024."
"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, according to the firm.
'So it is not a small project. It is a very good thing for Nigeria. They are to start with aviation fuel and diesel. You know that independent petroleum marketers also buy diesel.'
Dangote refinery officials did not answer calls nor responded to text messages when contacted on Friday to comment on the meeting between the company and IPMAN executives.
The facility missed its crude oil refining target a number of times due to the non-supply of crude to the plant by oil producers.
According to the Punch, Dangote refinery officials did not answer calls nor responded to text messages when contacted on Friday to comment on the meeting between the company and IPMAN executives.
