Dangote refinery counters NMDPRA: Our fuel meets int’l standard

Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals says its refined fuel is of superior quality compared to imported equivalents and meets international standards.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) recently described Dangote refined products as inferior to imported fuel.

The NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed, who said this while speaking to State House correspondents in Abuja on Thursday, July 18, 2024, also debunked allegations by the refinery that its operations are being scuttled by a lack of supply of crude oil by International Oil Companies (IOCs).

The NMDPRA boss stated: “So, in terms of quality, currently, the AGO quality in terms of sulphur is the lowest as far as West Africa’s requirement of 50 parts per million.

“Dangote refinery as well as some major refineries like Waltersmith refinery produce between 650 ppm to 1,200 ppm. So, in terms of quality, their quality is much more inferior to the imported quality.”

Reacting during a tour of the refinery by members of the House of Representatives on Saturday, July 20, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, debunked Ahmed’s statement that imported fuel surpasses domestically refined products.

Dangote also challenged the regulator to compare the quality of refined products from his refinery with those imported, advocating an impartial assessment to determine what best serves the interests of Nigerians.

He said: “We produce the best diesel in Nigeria. It’s disheartening that instead of safeguarding the market, the regulator is undermining it.

NMDPRA: Dangote refinery at pre-commissioning stage, product quality inferior

“Our doors are open for the regulator to conduct tests on our products anytime; transparency is paramount to us.

“It would be beneficial for the regulator to showcase its laboratory to the world so Nigerians can compare. Our interest is Nigeria first because if Nigeria doesn’t grow, we have limited capacity for growth.

“Right Honourable Speaker and esteemed members, you’ve witnessed the results of the credibility test.

“I appreciate your wise counsel in procuring samples from the filling stations alongside our refinery’s product.

“Ours show a sulphur content of 87.6 ppm, approximately 88, whereas the others exceeded 1,800 ppm.

“Although the NMDPRA permits local refiners to produce diesel with sulphur content up to 650 ppm until January 2025, as approved by ECOWAS, ours is significantly lower.

“We aim to achieve 10 ppm, aligning with the Euro V standard. Imported diesel is capped at 50 ppm, but as you’ve seen, those from the stations, imported by major marketers, fall well outside this standard.”

Dangote added that high-sulphur content diesel regularly imported into the country often comes with dubious certifications.

He emphasised that the most effective method to verify the quality was to purchase the product directly from filling stations and conduct credibility tests.

Dangote refinery: IOCs frustrating crude purchase

According to him, this issue has resulted in both health risks and financial losses for Nigerians.

The billionaire businessman stated: “Dubious certifications often accompany the importation of high-sulphur diesel into Nigeria, causing both health risks and financial losses for Nigerians.

“The best method to verify this is to purchase the product directly from filling stations where end-users obtain it.

“I believe Farouk Ahmed speaks without sufficient knowledge of our refinery. We have successfully exported diesel and jet fuel to Europe and Asia without any complaints; in fact, we have received repeated orders, indicating satisfaction with our products.”

The Star