Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has said the beginning of fuel production by the Dangote refinery will strengthen Nigeria’s economy by eliminating constant shortages and conserving foreign exchange.
This is contained in a statement in Abeokuta by Abiodun’s Chief Press Secretary, Lekan Adeniran.
“With the refinery coming on stream, one of the most significant challenges faced by Nigeria for more than three decades—reliance on fuel importation would be solved,” Abiodun said.
”Petrol produced from the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote refinery is expected to hit filling stations in the next 48 hours as modalities with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited have been formalised.”
The governor noted that with the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries also being prepared to begin production, Nigerians would heave a sigh of relief from constant fuel shortages, while the economy would also receive a boost.
Abiodun praised Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his determination in seeing through the multi-billion dollar projects against all odds.
The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for his intervention in ensuring that the refinery comes on stream during his administration.
He praised the president’s commitment to the revitalisation of other refineries in the country, which, he said, would drastically reduce fuel prices when all of them started production.
”This significant achievement marks a transformative milestone not only for you as an entrepreneur but also for Nigeria and the broader African continent.
“The establishment of this refinery represents a pivotal shift in the energy landscape of the region, showcasing the power of vision, resilience, and unwavering commitment to economic development.
“The Dangote refinery is poised to be a game-changer in the production of petrol, addressing one of the most pressing challenges faced by Nigeria: reliance on imported fuel.
” This dependency has not only strained our foreign exchange reserves but has also hindered our potential for self-sufficiency.
“By producing petrol locally, the refinery will drastically reduce the outflow of foreign currency, thereby strengthening our economy.
“This move aligns perfectly with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration’s efforts to achieve economic diversification and reduce reliance on oil exports alone.
“Moreover, the economic impact of the refinery extends beyond just fuel production. It is expected to generate thousands of jobs, both directly and indirectly, thus contributing to the reduction of unemployment rates.
NAN reports that businessman, Aliko Dangote, revealed that petrol produced from his 650,000 barrels per day refining facility will hit filling stations in the next 48 hours as modalities with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited had been formalised.Dangote said this on Tuesday while addressing newsmen announcing the formal production of petrol at the refinery.
“Our PMS (Premium Motor Spirit) can be in filling stations within the next 48 hours depending on NNPCL,” he said.
Asked to speak on the pricing of the product from his refinery, Dangote said, “It is an arrangement which is designed and approved by the Federal Executive Council led by President Tinubu.
”As soon as it is finalised, which he (Tinubu) is pushing, once we finish with NNPC, it can be today, it can be tomorrow, we are ready to roll into the market.”
In December 2023, Dangote, began operations at his 20billion-dollar facility sited in Lagos with 350,000 barrels a day.
The refinery, which was initially troubled by regulatory battles, hopes to achieve its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.
The refinery has begun the supply of diesel and aviation fuel to marketers in the country and now petrol.
Dangote also added that the introduction of naira for crude will reduce the demand for foreign exchange by 40 per cent.
“I want to thank President Tinubu for creating this idea of Naira for crude and Naira for the product. Doing that will give a lot of stability to the Naira and remove 40 per cent of the demand for dollars. That’s not just it, there is a lot of round tripping,” he stated.
He added that it would become possible to track loaded trucks, hence making it easier to compute the national consumption.
