Dangote Refinery Begins Supply Of Diesel To Nigerian Market
The multi-billion dollars Dangote Refinery has commenced supply of Automative Gas Oil (AGO), also known as diesel to the Nigerian market.
SlyeNews gathered that the $20 billion worth refinery started pumping out diesel to the domestic market last Wednesday. However, there are speculations that it would start producing Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol to Nigerian market later this year.
With a refining capacity of up to 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), Dangote Refinery is poised to become the largest refinery in Africa and Europe upon reaching full operational capacity.
Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development & Capital Projects, Dangote Groups, Devakumar Edwin, confirmed the commencement of diesel and jet fuel shipments into the local market, according to Reuters .
“We have substantial quantities. Products are being evacuated both by sea and road. Ships are lining up one after another to load diesel and aviation jet fuel,” Edwin said.
He further noted that vessels typically load a minimum of 26 million litres, with efforts to maximize efficiency by accommodating vessels carrying up to 37 million litres.
It was gathered that the refinery sold a minimum of one million litres to each registered oil marketer that got the product from the plant since it commenced diesel sale.
The National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi, also confirmed the development: “They started pumping out diesel to market. So some of our marketers have started getting the product, but as an association we have not got the product yet, because we want to get the actual rate that it will be sold to us when we buy in bulk. However, they have started selling diesel because some of our marketers have started buying.
“They are selling at N1,225/litre and the minimum volume they are giving is one million litres per marketer. Also, they assured us that they will release more products, but for now this (diesel) is what they are starting with. So we are expecting them to release PMS anytime from now.”
