The Dangote Group has denied reports that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has started lifting fuel from its refinery, contrary to earlier claims.
In a statement signed by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, the company stated that NNPCL was yet to start lifting fuel from the refinery. Chiejina said, “Our attention has been drawn to a headline ‘NNPCL lifts Dangote petrol, sells at N897 per liter’, published in the Business Day Newspaper of Wednesday, 4 September 2024.”
The statement further clarified that the issue of fixing the price of petrol lifted from the refinery does not arise, as the company is yet to finalize its contract with NNPCL. Chiejina emphasized, “The PMS market is strictly regulated, which is known to all oil marketers and stakeholders in the sector, hence we cannot determine, fix, or influence the product price, which falls under the purview of relevant government authorities.”
It would be recalled that the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, had earlier declared that the refinery was ready to commence production and sales of petroleum products. However, it appears that the company is still in the process of finalizing its contract with NNPCL before commencing fuel lifting.
Despite the denial, the Dangote Refinery remains ready for operation, with the company eager to contribute to the country’s petroleum production. The refinery’s operation is expected to boost Nigeria’s petroleum production and reduce reliance on imported fuel.
