Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has cautioned Nigerians against over-dependence on products from the Dangote refinery.
Ahmed raised concerns about the consistency and standardization of the refinery’s output, noting that its products were inferior to imported ones.
Addressing the nationwide supply of petroleum products, Ahmed denied claims that the agency was attempting to undermine the Dangote Refinery.
He clarified that the refinery was still in the pre-commissioning stage and had not yet been licensed. “They haven’t been licensed yet,” he stated.
Ahmed pointed out that relying heavily on a single refinery was not advisable for the nation’s energy security or market health.
“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,” he explained.
He further highlighted quality issues, stating, “In terms of quality, Dangote’s current AGO suffers from the lowest quality in terms of sulfur content, falling short of West Africa’s requirement of 50 PPM. Dangote Refinery, along with other major refineries, produces between six hundred and fifty to one thousand two hundred parts per million (PPM). Therefore, in terms of quality, their products are inferior to imported ones.”
