President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has alleged that Nigeria’s downstream regulator is still issuing licences for the importation of petrol despite public assurances suggesting otherwise.
Dangote warned that the continued importation of refined petroleum products into Nigeria could undermine the operations of his refinery and pose risks to the country’s long-term energy security.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with THISDAY Newspapers, the billionaire businessman said the ongoing practice was negatively affecting the Dangote Refinery, which he insists has the capacity to meet Nigeria’s entire fuel demand.
According to him, the refinery is capable of producing up to 75 million litres of petrol daily. However, he said some market participants were still importing refined products into the country, creating an imbalance in the domestic petroleum market.
Dangote explained that the persistence of import licences contradicts earlier assurances from the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that fuel importation would be reduced once domestic refining capacity improves.
He added that although the refinery has begun exporting refined petroleum products to other international markets, importers are still bringing fuel into Nigeria and engaging in practices that could distort the local petroleum market.
Industry analysts say the situation highlights the ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector as the country navigates the transition from heavy reliance on imported fuel to increased domestic refining.
