Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of Dangote Group, has brought forward serious allegations involving staff members of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and oil traders. During a meeting with federal lawmakers led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Dangote claimed that some NNPC staff and traders are operating a blending plant in Malta, an island nation in Europe.
Dangote highlighted that the bad fuel imported into Nigeria has caused significant damage to vehicles. He emphasized that the quality of Dangote Refinery products is far superior to the imported ones, urging checks on fuel quality at filling stations.
“The bad fuel imported into the country has damaged many cars. I still stand by what I said. Go to filling stations, you can check the quality. That is the only way,” Dangote stated.
Dangote revealed, “We know where they blend these things. Some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened a blending plant somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are doing.”
Nigeria, despite being Africa’s most populous nation, faces severe energy challenges with all its state-owned refineries currently non-operational. The country relies heavily on imported refined petroleum products, with the state-run NNPC being the major importer. This reliance has led to frequent fuel queues and a tripling of petrol prices since the removal of subsidies in May 2023. These issues exacerbate the difficulties faced by citizens who rely on petrol for their vehicles and generators due to unreliable electricity supply.
Dangote’s $20 billion refinery in Lagos began operations last December, with an initial capacity of 350,000 barrels per day, aiming to reach its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year. The refinery has started supplying diesel and aviation fuel to marketers, with petrol supply expected to commence in August.
During his meeting with federal lawmakers, Dangote reiterated the importance of transparency and accountability in the oil industry. He dismissed claims that products from his refinery are substandard and urged the green chamber to investigate the quality of diesel and petrol at filling stations across the country.
“The only way to resolve this is through transparency and accountability. The quality of products from Dangote Refinery is far better than those being imported,” Dangote asserted.
The allegations made by Dangote underscore the need for a thorough investigation into the operations of the oil industry in Nigeria. His call for transparency and accountability is crucial to addressing the ongoing issues and ensuring the quality of petroleum products available to Nigerian consumers