Fuel Quality Row: FG Seeks Dangote Report, Orders Re-Testing

FG Demands Dangote diesel report amid quality concerns...

NMDPRA investigates Dangote refinery's diesel quality amid allegations of substandard fuel. Tests reveal superior quality, but concerns raised over monopoly and reliance on a single refinery for fuel supply.

The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), is awaiting new reports to verify the sulphur content of Dangote refinery's diesel. This comes after Dangote denied allegations of producing substandard fuel.

NMDPRA spokesperson George Ene-Ita stated on July 21 that the agency has concluded its investigation and will not engage in a public debate over the matter. This follows claims made by NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed that Dangote's diesel contains higher sulphur levels than imported diesel.

According to NMDPRA spokesperson George Ene-Ita, a team of 15 engineers and scientists from the authority have been stationed at the Dangote refinery to monitor its operations. Their latest report on the sulphur content of the refinery's diesel is expected to be released on Monday, July 22.

NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed has alleged that diesel from the Dangote refinery contains high levels of sulphur, contradicting Dangote's claims that the authority is licensing traders to import substandard fuel. Ahmed also revealed that despite selling diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria for months, the refinery is still in its pre-commissioning phase and has not received official licensure.

“The claim by some media houses that there were steps to scuttle the Dangote refinery is not so. The Dangote refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licensed yet; we haven't licensed them yet. They are still in the pre-commissioning. I think they have about 45 percent completion,” Ahmed declared.

The NMDPRA chief warned against relying solely on the Dangote refinery for fuel supply, revealing that the refinery had requested the regulator to stop issuing import licenses to other fuel marketers, effectively seeking a monopoly on fuel supply in the country.

“We cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO and direct all marketers to the refinery, that is not good for the nation in terms of energy security. And that is not good for the market, because of monopoly,” he stressed.

He emphasized that the diesel (AGO) quality, specifically in terms of sulphur content, meets the highest standards, adhering to the West African requirement of 50 parts per million (ppm), which is the lowest acceptable level in the region.

“Dangote refinery and some modular refineries, like Waltersmith refinery and Aradel refinery, they are producing between 650 to 1,200ppm. So, in terms of quality, their product is much more inferior to the imported quality,” he alleged.

During a recent tour of the Dangote refinery, led by House of Representatives Speaker Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, Dangote proudly showcased the facility's superior quality products, refined to the highest standards. The visiting dignitaries, including the Speaker and other members, witnessed firsthand the testing of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) from various sources.

The comparison testing involved samples from two petrol stations and the Dangote refinery, demonstrating the superior quality of the refinery's products. The exercise aimed to dispel doubts and reaffirm the refinery's commitment to producing high-quality fuel, surpassing the standards of imported products.

Lawmakers collected diesel samples from two prominent filling stations near Eleko junction along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos, as part of their investigation. The samples were obtained under the supervision of Chairman of the House Committee on Downstream, Ikeagwunon Ugochinyere, and Chairman of the House Committee on Midstream, Okojie Odianosen.

The samples were then tested at the Dangote laboratory, revealing significant differences in sulphur content. While Dangote's diesel contained 87.6 parts per million (ppm) of sulphur, the other two samples had alarmingly high levels of 1,800 ppm and 2,000 ppm, respectively. This stark contrast highlights the superior quality of Dangote's diesel.