Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister Holds High-Level Talks To Address Dangote Refinery Issues

Nigeria's Minister for State Petroleum Resources Heineken Lokpobiri held a high-level meeting to discuss ongoing issues with the Dangote Refinery.

During the meeting held Monday, the minister stressed the need for cooperation among all parties to ensure the success of the oil and gas sector, which was crucial for Nigeria's economic growth and energy security.

"This meeting marks a significant step towards resolving the challenges and underscores the minister's dedication to fostering a conducive environment for Nigeria's oil and gas sector," he said, Premium Times reported.

The meeting was attended by the top executives from Dangote Group, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd).

The minister's special adviser on media and communication Nneamaka Okafor disclosed the meeting details and said attendees included Chairman and CEO of Dangote Group Aliko Dangote, CEO of NMDPRA Farouk Ahmed, CEO of NUPRC Gbenga Komolafe and Group CEO of NNPC Mele Kyari.

Okafor revealed that the stakeholders thanked the minister for his strong leadership and timely action in organizing the important discussion, noting that the meeting aimed to find a long-term solution to the problems with the Dangote refinery.

The Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited Devakumar Edwin last month accused International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Nigeria of trying to sabotage the Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Edwin claimed that the IOCs are making it difficult for the refinery to buy local crude oil by charging excessively high prices. This forces the refinery to import crude oil from distant places like the United States, leading to higher costs.

At a training session organized by the Dangote Group, Edwin also criticized the NMDPRA for issuing licenses to marketers who import substandard refined products into Nigeria. In response, the NMDPRA stated that no dirty fuel was being imported and emphasized that it strictly ensured only high-quality petroleum products were supplied to and used in Nigeria.

Last week it was announced that Dangote Refinery is all set to start its crude processing plant, which will be capable of handling 650,000 barrels per day, to sell to fuel marketers from August onwards.