Olufemi Adeyemi 


The quality of petroleum products produced by Dangote Refinery has been called into question by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

It has come to the attention of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that the quality of petroleum products sourced from the Dangote refinery, as well as those from Watersmith, Aradel, and other modular refineries, does not meet the standards of imported petroleum products.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, revealed this in a recent interview with journalists. The interview was published by TVC.

The regulatory authority firmly denied allegations suggesting that certain entities within the oil and gas industry were attempting to obstruct the development of the Dangote Refinery project.

As per his statement, the operational license for the 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery has not been granted by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

He noted that the Dangote Refinery, situated in Lagos, is currently undergoing pre-commissioning activities and has achieved approximately 45% completion.

Mr. Ahmed emphasized the potential risks associated with relying solely on the Dangote Refinery for the supply of petroleum products, particularly Automotive Gas Oil and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK). He cautioned against the suspension of these products, highlighting the importance of maintaining a diversified supply chain to ensure energy security and mitigate potential disruptions.

He said: “That is not so. Dangote Refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licenced yet. We haven’t licenced them yet. I think they are about 45 per cent to completion.

“We cannot rely on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we suspend or stop imports, especially of AGO and DPK, and direct all marketers to his refinery. That is not good for the nation in terms of energy security, and it is not good for the market because of the monopoly.”

In reference to quality standards, he said that Dangote’s current AGO (diesel) falls below the required specifications set by West Africa. Specifically, the sulphur content exceeds the acceptable limit of 50 parts per million (PPM).

“Dangote Refinery, as well as some modular refineries like Watersmith Refinery and Aradel Refinery, are producing between 650 and 1,200 PPM. Therefore, in terms of quality, their products are inferior to imported ones,” he stated.

This update comes a few days after Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, announced that Dangote Refinery is scheduled to start fuel supply in August 2024.

Prior to this, Devakumar Edwin, the Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited, claimed that a majority of fuel products brought into Nigeria are of inferior quality.

He further pointed fingers at international oil companies for hindering the commencement of the Dangote Refinery by selling crude oil at inflated prices in Nigeria.

Nevertheless, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission refuted Edwin's allegations regarding substandard petroleum products in the country.