Dangote petrol: Marketers wait as delivery date extended again :

There are strong indications that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery may not roll out petrol on Monday in line with its earlier schedule.

The President, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, had last month projected that the refinery would begin the production of petrol between August 10 and 12, 2024.

However, findings by The PUNCH reveal that the 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery might not roll out petrol on Monday (today).

But multiple officials close to the development confirmed to The PUNCH on Sunday that all was set for the refinery to begin the production of the much-awaited Premium Motor Spirit before the end of August.

“All is set. The refinery will roll out petrol this month. However, its concern is that the refinery cannot stop for one minute, it needs the constant supply of crude to keep going,” one of the top officials close the refinery told The PUNCH on condition of anonymity on Sunday.

However, further findings show that the ongoing crude supply crisis might be a setback to the Dangote oil refinery which is supposed to commence the supply of the much-awaited Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, into the market today.

This is also as PMS marketers await the sale of the commodity by the refinery this week.

It was reliably gathered that the refinery has put efforts in top gear to roll out petrol this August, even as it awaits 29 million barrels of crude oil from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

Reliable sources privy to the development told our correspondent that the refinery is ready to release petrol this month, regardless of the crude crisis.

The sources, who did not want to be mentioned because of the sensitivity of the matter, disclosed that the company is 100 per cent ready to pump out petrol as planned. However, they said the low supply of crude may impact the process.

“I can confirm to you that we will start the sale of PMS this August, though the low supply of crude oil has always been affecting the process. But from the information at my disposal, we are 100 per cent ready for the supply of PMS,” a source stated.

Another informed person said the refinery is still awaiting 29 million barrels of crude oil from the NUPRC.

“The NUPRC is yet to fulfil the supply of the 29 million barrels promised to Dangote. They are still waiting for that. Surprisingly, the 29 million barrels were allocated on paper, they didn’t get to the refinery, yet the NUPRC told the media on Friday that the crude was supplied.

“Dangote refinery needs 15 cargoes for September, only six cargoes have been supplied. Where do you want him to get the remaining nine cargoes? He will have to import again.

Though the President said local refineries should buy in naira, but if it is at the international rate. What is the difference?” she asked.