Africa’s largest oil refinery, the Dangote Refinery, has postponed the start of its premium motor spirit (PMS) production, commonly known as petrol, from June to mid-July.
This adjustment was confirmed by Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of the refinery, during a press briefing at the $20 billion facility in Lagos on Monday.
Dangote attributed the change in the production date to minor delays encountered in the final stages of the project.
“We had a bit of delay, but PMS will start coming out by 10 to 15 of July. But then we want to keep it in tank to make sure that it settles. So by the third week of July, we’ll be able to take it into the market,” he stated.
The delay necessitated moving the originally proposed production commencement from June to mid-July.
The refinery will begin production of petrol between July 10 and 15, with supply to local marketers expected to commence from the third week of July.
Backstory and Expectations
Initially, various reports had predicted the refinery’s petrol production would start in June. Standard and Poor’s Global (S&P Global) Commodities Insights analysts had forecasted a later timeline, suggesting production would ramp up in the fourth quarter of this year.
Despite the predictions, Dangote’s team has been aiming for a mid-year start.
Exportation and Domestic Supply
In addition to the upcoming petrol production, the Dangote Refinery has already begun supplying jet fuel and diesel to domestic marketers. Furthermore, the facility recently exported its first jet fuel cargo to Europe.
The inaugural shipment, loaded onto the vessel “Doric Breeze,” departed from the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos on May 27 and is en route to Rotterdam, Netherlands, according to data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea.
Implications for Nigeria
The Dangote Refinery is poised to significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products. Despite being Africa’s most populous country and largest oil producer, Nigeria imports almost all of its fuel due to insufficient refining infrastructure.
The new refinery aims to bridge this gap and enhance the country’s energy security.
Future Prospects
On future prospects, Aliko Dangote said “What we are doing is to be able to export petroleum products to anywhere and compete with any company. By next week, we’ll be producing about ten thousand ppm in terms of diesel, which now what’s happening is that we import about 2 to 3 thousand. We will produce the best.”
As Nigeria anticipates the mid-July start for petrol production, the Dangote Refinery is set to play a pivotal role in transforming the nation’s oil and gas sector, bolstering domestic supply, and enhancing its position in the global energy market.