Aliko Dangote, owner of Dangote Refinery, has dismissed a statement by the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, that petroleum products from his refinery are inferior compared to imported ones.
Africa’s richest man, Dangote, made this clarification on Saturday when the leadership of the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbass, toured the facility.
According to Dangote, independent checks will show different results from those of NMDPRA.
He insisted that petroleum products’ specs tested by the regulator were imported.
According to him: “The imported one they are encouraging is the spec in test, but in certain cases, when you check (independently), different results will show. Because those people who have the lab have been told what to write.”
The speaker, Abbass, assured that lawmakers are committed to addressing all issues affecting the ease of doing business in Nigeria.
“We are working diligently to create a more business-friendly environment through legislative reforms that streamline processes, reduce bureaucracy, and enhance transparency. Our goal is to make Nigeria an attractive destination for both local and international investors,” he said.
This comes after the CEO of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, said that Dangote Refinery’s petroleum products are inferior to imported products.
Ahmed had also said that the Dangote refinery has not been licenced to operate, noting that it is risky to hand over to the company’s petroleum products a monopoly in the sector.
The development had resulted in deep-seated confusion in the country’s oil and gas sector.
A few days ago, the Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, alleged that international oil companies in Nigeria are frustrating Dangote Refinery by selling crude oil at higher prices.
This comes after the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, announced that the 650,000 barrels per day refinery would kick off fuel supply by August.
