The much-anticipated rollout of petrol from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery may not happen on Monday as earlier projected.
Despite assurances from top officials that the refinery is set to begin production this month, findings suggest that the 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery might face delays due to ongoing crude supply crisis.
The refinery, which awaits 29 million barrels of crude oil from the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, is ready to release petrol this month. However, the low supply of crude may impact the process. “We will start the sale of PMS this August, though the low supply of crude oil has always been affecting the process,” a source revealed.
The refinery’s production may also be affected by price differential, as experts suggest that the current price offered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited for petrol is not competitive. “Dangote will source crude at the international rate, how do you expect him to sell at a rate below the cost price?” an expert asked.
While some workers confirmed that all was set for the sale of petrol, they remained uncertain about the exact date and price. The delay in the rollout of petrol from the Dangote refinery may further exacerbate the fuel scarcity crisis in the country.
