Dangote Refinery Expands Fuel Exports Across Africa Amid Dispute in Nigeria
The Dangote Refinery is set to begin fuel exports to South Africa, Angola, and Namibia, according to PUNCH. Talks with these countries are reportedly in advanced stages, aiming to utilize the refinery’s 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity.
Ghana, which has been importing $400 million worth of fuel monthly from Europe, is also interested in sourcing fuel from the $20 billion Lekki-based refinery, said Ghana’s National Petroleum Authority chairman, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid.
Additional negotiations are underway with Niger Republic, Chad, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic, while other African nations are expected to join the list soon.
However, local fuel marketers in Nigeria remain at odds with the Dangote Refinery. Last week, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) called for fuel imports, citing high prices at Dangote’s facility.
The marketers have requested foreign exchange access from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and permits from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to bring in more affordable fuel.
NMDPRA clarified it does not issue import licenses to associations, only individual marketers. PETROAN’s spokesperson, Dr. Joseph Obele, accused Dangote of monopolizing the market and asserted that competition would lower prices for Nigerians. “We’re calling on Nigerians to support open competition to free the market from monopolies,” said Obele.
As Dangote Refinery prepares to serve both Nigeria and other African markets, the debate over pricing and importation continues, setting the stage for a potential shift in the nation’s energy landscape.
