Dangote Refinery: House of Representatives Rejects Motion to Suspend License as Sole Importer of Petrol

In a recent development, the motion to suspend the license of Dangote Refinery as the exclusive importer of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, has been rejected by the House of Representatives. The motion was put forward by a federal lawmaker, Gali Tijjani, who called for a review of the license to include all petroleum marketers.

A video posted on Channels Television's Twitter handle shows the House of Representatives opposing the motion and choosing not to suspend the license.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has denied the claims that it granted a license to Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the owner of Dangote Refinery, to import petrol while his refinery is under construction. NNPCL clarified that it does not have the authority to issue licenses or permits for fuel importation.

An article in a national daily had alleged that imported fuel would be unloaded at the Dangote barge and then transferred to tanks for sale to marketers at a market-determined price, while the refinery construction progresses. However, NNPCL's spokesperson, Onyi Sunday, dismissed the report as misleading, emphasizing that NNPCL is not a regulatory body.

Sunday stated, "The report is misleading. We don't grant licenses or permits because we are not a regulatory organization." According to the Nigerian Tribune, the responsibility for granting such licenses lies with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), not NNPCL. Sunday advised checking with the NMDPRA for further information. NNPCL holds only a 20% stake in the Dangote Refinery.

It is worth noting that the Dangote Oil Refinery was commissioned by the immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, on May 22. Aiming to rapidly increase production, Dangote expressed his commitment to ensure that his mega oil refinery meets the nation's demand for high-quality products within the year.

With a whopping $19 billion investment, the Dangote Refinery, located in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos, stands as the world's largest single-train refinery. While Dangote funded the majority of the project, NNPCL holds a 20% stake. The refinery is projected to produce petrol, diesel (AGO), aviation jet fuel, Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK), and other refined products.

Once operational, this refinery, capable of processing 650,000 barrels per day, is expected to achieve Nigeria's self-sufficiency in refined products and even have a surplus for export