ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Dangote Petroleum Refinery is poised to provide fuel to approximately 150,000 retail outlets affiliated with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), following a meeting between the refinery’s management and IPMAN executives.
Last week, Punch reported on IPMAN’s scheduled meeting with Dangote Refinery regarding the supply of products to independent marketers.
IPMAN President Abubakar Maigandi confirmed the meeting’s occurrence on Friday, stating that the refinery had agreed to supply products to over 30,000 IPMAN members.
Simultaneously, regulatory authorities in the downstream oil sector are currently scrutinizing refined products from the refinery before granting approval for fuel dispensation to the market.
Seven major oil marketers, including 11 Plc, Conoil Plc, Ardova Plc, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, OVH Energy Marketing Limited, Total Nigeria Plc, and NNPC Retail, have registered with the refinery for lifting and distributing refined petroleum products.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) is also engaging with the refinery for product supply.
On 12 January, 2024, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery announced the commencement of production for Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and JetA1 (aviation fuel).
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IPMAN President Abubakar Maigandi, commenting on the meeting’s outcome, stated that the refinery would supply products to all 150,000 IPMAN retail outlets nationwide.
He expressed optimism that once approval is obtained, the refinery could begin selling products, addressing potential fuel scarcity.
Maigandi emphasized, “It is not a small project. It is a very good thing for Nigeria. They are to start with aviation fuel and diesel.”
While regulatory approvals are pending, Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, affirmed that the products would be released to the market once regulatory approvals are received.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a 650,000 barrels per day crude oil refinery located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, transforms crude oil into various petroleum products.
The facility has received six million barrels of crude oil and is equipped to load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries.
The products adhere to Euro V specifications, and the refinery design complies with international emission norms.
Regulators from the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources are actively engaged in the approval process, and Dangote remains optimistic about the positive impact of the refinery on Nigeria’s energy landscape.
The facility, inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023, had faced challenges related to crude oil supply but began receiving batches in December 2023.
Requests for comments from Dangote refinery officials regarding the meeting with IPMAN were unanswered at the time of reporting.