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Dangote Refinery’s Power Production Dwarfs National Grid’s 11-Year Progress

Published

3 months ago

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ossiomo

The stark contrast in power generation between Nigeria’s national grid and Dangote Refinery has come into sharp focus as Dangote Refinery generates twice the national power production.

Over the past eleven years, Nigeria has managed to add a mere 760 megawatts (MW) to its national grid, while the Dangote Refinery has outpaced this growth significantly with  1,500 MW in a much shorter timeframe.

For decades, Nigeria has grappled with chronic power shortages, an issue that has repeatedly dominated election campaigns and policy debates.

Data from the Nigeria Electricity System Operator revealed that power delivery from Generation Companies (Gencos) to Distribution Companies (Discos) via the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has seen only a modest increase.

From an average of 3,400 MW in November 2013, it has risen to 4,160 MW as of June 12, 2024, marking a 22 percent increase.

In stark contrast, the Dangote Refinery, which began construction in 2018, now produces 1,500 MW of power for its operations.

This significant output not only surpasses the national grid’s decade-long expansion but also emphasizes the private sector’s ability to address Nigeria’s power challenges more efficiently.

“We don’t put pressure on the grid. We produce about 1,500 megawatts of power for self-consumption,” stated Aliko Dangote at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings and AfriCaribbean Trade & Investment Forum in Nassau, The Bahamas.

This development underscores concerns regarding the slow pace of growth in Nigeria’s power sector despite substantial investments and an 11-year-old privatisation effort.

“The government and some operators in the sector may claim there has been some form of growth since 2013, but in actual terms, how many people are benefiting from the privatised power sector?” questioned Charles Akinbobola, a senior energy analyst at Sofidam Capital.

He added, “The challenge of the power sector has not entirely been the scarcity of funds. Several trillions of naira have been pumped into that industry. The sector has been plagued by the shortcomings of its managers.”

Comparatively, Nigeria’s power production capacity of 13,000 MW falls significantly short of South Africa’s 58,095 MW, despite having a similar-sized economy and a quarter of Nigeria’s population.

The ageing national grid, however, delivers only about 4,000 MW to over 200 million citizens—roughly the power consumption of Edinburgh’s 548,000 residents.

Other African nations have made more significant strides in addressing their power needs.

Egypt, for instance, added 28,229 MW to its national grid between December 2015 and December 2018, achieving a total installed capacity of 58,818 MW.

This was accomplished through a fast-track project and a substantial partnership with Siemens, adding 14,400 MW in just 2.5 years.

The sluggish growth of Nigeria’s power sector is not just a technical issue but a significant economic one. Rising energy costs and unreliable power supply have disrupted productive activities, forcing many factories to self-generate more than 14,000 MW of electricity.

According to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, member companies spent N639 billion on alternative energy sources between 2014 and 2021, further highlighting the inefficiencies within the public power supply system.

“The power sector’s inefficiencies cost consumers billions of naira and stifle economic growth,” noted Muda Yusuf, CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise. “There are issues of technical and commercial losses which are yet to be addressed. These inefficiencies are costs that consumers are compelled or expected to pay for as part of the cost recovery argument.”

The stark contrast in power generation between the Dangote Refinery and the national grid serves as a wake-up call for Nigeria’s power sector.

It underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms, better management, and increased investment to meet the growing energy demands of the nation’s burgeoning population.

Is the CEO and Founder of Investors King Limited. He is a seasoned foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Business Insider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and other prominent platforms. With over two decades of experience in global financial markets, Olukoya is well-recognized in the industry.

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Energy

Lawmakers Demand Independent Marketers’ Access to Dangote Refinery Amid Fuel Scarcity Fears

Published

7 hours ago

on

September 27, 2024

By

senate

The House of Representatives has urged the President Tinubu-led government to end the reign of monopoly in the Nigerian oil sector and allow independent marketers to lift petrol directly from the Dangote Refinery.

The latest development follows concerns raised by Oboku Oforji, the member representing Yenagoa/Opokuma Federal Constituency, Bayelsa State.

Investors King gathered that while NNPCL was initially named as the sole off-taker of the refinery’s product, recent changes allowed Major Marketers access to PMS.

However, Oforji lamented the monopoly ravaging the country’s oil sector where only the NNPC and Major Marketers are allowed to lift petrol from the refinery.

According to Oforji, if the Federal Government fails to intervene, and stop the monopoly, Nigerians will continue to suffer the effects of fuel scarcity.

He warned that independent marketers have threatened to begin the importation of the product to sustain their business.

He said, “The House is worried that NNPCL and the major marketers are exclusive off-takers, which spells monopoly and is equivalent to greed. This is the same NNPCL that has failed to manage our crude and refineries for decades.

“If this monopoly is not nipped in the bud, the suffering of Nigerians caused by the scarcity of PMS will continue, and we all know the implications for the economy.

“No wonder the late MKO Abiola of blessed memory, in a viral video some years ago, lamented that the NNPCL lacks transparency and accountability.

“The House is disturbed that allowing the NNPCL and major marketers to lift Premium Motor Spirit from the refinery to the exclusion of independent marketers is not good enough.”

“IPMAN representatives have expressed fears that they may be forced to resort to fuel imports to sustain their businesses,” he added.

Oforji thanked Dangote Refinery for helping the country meet the increasing demand of petrol.

According to him, with the refinery, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product will experience a steady increase.

His words, “The House notes that by this achievement, Nigeria is driving towards energy self-sufficiency, cost and foreign exchange savings, meeting the increasing demand for fuels, and attracting foreign capital investment. The generation of foreign exchange through the export of finished products, conservation of foreign exchange, and significant value addition will contribute to an increase in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

“The House further notes that given the high demand by millions of Nigerians for PMS and the ordeal they go through to obtain it, NNPCL should allow independent marketers to lift the product from the Dangote refinery,” he added.

If the prevailing monopoly is not nipped in the bud, Oforji noted that the suffering of Nigerians caused by the scarcity of PMS will continue with disastrous consequences for the economy, and we all know the implications,” he noted.

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Motorists, Citizens Stranded as Fresh Fuel Scarcity Rocks FCT, Others

Published

2 days ago

on

September 25, 2024

By

Petrol - Investors King

Despite the production of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol by Dangote Refinery, a fresh round of scarcity of the product has hit some parts of the country.

Earlier, Investors King had reported that independent marketers had declared that they would shun Dangote refined fuel for foreign products because they are unable to purchase petrol directly from Dangote Refinery.

To this end, many of the filling stations operated by independent marketers have shut down their facilities, thus creating queues in a few of the stations that are selling petrol.

Scores of motorists and other citizens have been experiencing difficulties purchasing PMS. The situation has also created a lucrative environment for black marketers to make exorbitant profits.

One of the affected states is the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), leaving motorists spending hours to buy petrol.

Findings showed that many filling stations in Abuja did not open, while there were long queues at the few stations that dispensed the product, particularly those operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and some major oil marketers.

Outlets such as the NNPC mega station on the Katampe axis of the Zuba-Kubwa Expressway, AP station along Aguiyi Ironsi Street in the city centre, and NIPCO filling station also along the Zuba-Kubwa expressway, among others, had massive queues.

Meanwhile, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has clarified inability of independent marketers to buy directly from Dangote Refinery.

Addressing a media briefing in Lagos, PENGASSAN president, Festas Osifo, explained that the issue stems from a pricing disparity between the costs at which the NNPCL buys PMS and the prices it sells to independent marketers.

Osifo explained that NNPC may purchase PMS at approximately N950, but sell it to independent marketers at around N700, leading to a significant shortfall that NNPC manages.

He said major marketers would buy directly from Dangote at a price similar to NNPCL’s purchase but would need to sell it at a higher price, potentially over N1,000.

He said independent marketers prefer to purchase from NNPCL to take advantage of the lower prices but noted that some crude oil has been tied to loan repayments, limiting the available supply for local consumption.

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Marketers’ Plan To Boycott Dangote Refinery For Imported Petrol Stirs Fresh Concern In Nigeria Petroleum Sector 

Published

1 week ago

on

September 20, 2024

By

Dangote Refinery

A fresh crisis is brewing in Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry over the new price list for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company had announced price adjustments for its retail outlets nationwide upon lifting Dangote Petrol, saying petrol will sell between N950 to N1,019.22 per liter depending on the location.

The development had created a price controversy between Dangote Refinery and NNPC. NNPC had insisted that it bought Dangote Petrol at a per liter pump price of N898, but the 650,000 barrels per day Lagos-based refinery had disagreed with the state-owned firm.

Displeased by the price regime of Dangote Refinery and in extension, NNPC, petrol marketers considered the importation of petrol.

Investors King gathered that about 141 million liters of PMS are being conveyed to Nigeria by oil vessels by oil marketers despite the availability of Dangote Refinery petrol.

Checks revealed that the oil marketers’ move followed the full deregulation of the downstream oil sector by the Federal Government.

However, the development has angered the Crude Oil Refiners Association of Nigeria which kicked against the abandonment of local petrol for foreign products.

The Publicity Secretary of CORAN, Eche Idoko, who condemned the shipment of foreign petrol in a statement raised the alarm that some imported petrol was substandard and was blended in Malta or Togo.

He said aside from the fact that the substandard products imported to the country would cause damage, Idoko assured Nigerians that the Dangote Refinery petrol will pay them way better than the regime of importing petroleum products.

Idoko called for backward integration, saying some were afraid that Dangote would become a monopoly.

According to him, oil marketers are nursing the fear that Dangote will become a monopoly, but he noted that the mere fact  Dangote subscribed to CORAN, there would never be monopoly.

He added that with the Petroleum Industry Act in place and all the agencies in play, there is no way that Dangote can become a monopoly.

Earlier, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority had declared that imported petrol would be subjected to three tests before being allowed to be sold across the country.

NMDPRA spokesperson, George Ene-Ita, disclosed this amid petrol import concerns.

He stressed that marketers with import licenses were free to import PMS but noted that the products must be subjected to three major tests by the agency.

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote had earlier in May 2024 stated that the commencement of his refinery will end fuel importation in Nigeria.

 

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