The federal government is preparing to supply 12 million barrels of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery next month, marking a significant step in addressing the country’s fuel demands.
Aliko Dangote, chief executive officer of Dangote Refinery, confirmed this development during an interview with Bloomberg TV in the U.S.
Dangote revealed that the crude oil supply is part of an ongoing agreement with the federal government aimed at enabling the refinery to process crude locally and produce petrol, diesel, and jet fuel for the domestic market.
He explained that this arrangement falls under the “Crude Oil for Naira” deal, a strategic partnership between the Dangote Group and the Nigerian government.
“We are working towards a solid agreement with the federal government that ensures energy security for the country. This means no more fuel queues,” Dangote stated. “The government has committed to providing us with crude oil, and in October, they will deliver 12 million barrels, which translates to roughly 390,000 barrels a day. We will refine this crude to produce gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel for the local market. Any surplus will be exported.”
This crude oil supply is expected to have a transformative impact on Nigeria’s fuel distribution network. Dangote noted that it will help bring 50 to 60 percent of currently non-operational filling stations back into service, drastically improving access to fuel across the country.
Additionally, the initiative will eliminate the need for transporting fuel over long distances via ships, which has been a costly practice. Dangote highlighted that cutting down on these shipping expenses could save Nigeria about $1 billion in demurrage fees—payments made for delays in unloading cargo ships.
“The deal with the government ensures that we sell the refined products to all marketers, which will mean the reopening of 50 percent to 60 percent of our petrol stations that have been idle. This will also reduce the costs tied to having ships floating off the coasts of Lome and elsewhere. In terms of demurrage alone, we are looking at saving over $1 billion,” Dangote added.
