Fakoyejo OlalekanThe Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has revealed that Dangote Refinery is yet to receive crude as the company owned by Aliko Dangote hasn’t made any request.
NNPC Limited spokesperson, Garba-Deen Muhammad, made this known while addressing the national oil firm’s fuel import plan after Dangote Refinery begins distribution.
“NNPC owns 20 per cent of that asset and we have an agreement with Dangote that we will supply the refinery with crude. So as soon as Dangote begins to request for crude to pay for it, NNPC is prepared to supply the crude as a business transaction.
“We have been selling crude to different parts of the world for decades, and it is not whether we will sell it to Dangote, for why won’t we sell to Dangote when we are selling to other refineries and countries?,” he told Punch in a report on Thursday.
Recall that Dangote Refinery was commissioned by former President, Muhammadu Buhari, on May 22, 2023, to start operation.
Muhammad said NNPC will stop importing fuel in August, which is the same timeframe Dangote hinted his refinery will start distributing petrol.
He noted that NNPC is importing fuel as a matter of necessity, but it will prefer that the refined products are produced within Nigeria.
“NNPC Limited is bringing in products from outside Nigeria as a matter of necessity, not as a matter of choice. We would have preferred that we produce here, refine here and we sell and provide the energy security that the country needs.
“Because of the circumstances that surround our refineries, we cannot allow the country to be grounded. So we have to buy wherever we can get and sell. So if Dangote products are available, why should we not buy from Dangote?
“There is absolutely no reason. And that is the reason why we are interested in the Dangote Refinery. We are co-owners, shouldn’t we do business with our partners rather than do it with other people?”
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