The Dangote Refinery, initially set to release premium motor spirit (PMS) into the market this month, has postponed its supply date to July. Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group, announced this delay on Monday, attributing it to minor challenges.
“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 the tank to make sure that it settles. So by the third week of July, we’ll be able to come out to take it into the market,” Dangote stated.
Previously, Dangote had projected that his 650,000 barrels per day capacity refinery would commence the sale of PMS in June, marking an end to Nigeria’s petrol importation. Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, Dangote emphasized the refinery’s potential impact on Africa’s energy sector.
“Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import anything apart from gasoline and by sometime in June, within the next four or five weeks, Nigeria shouldn’t import anything like gasoline; not one drop of a litre,” he declared.
Highlighting the refinery’s capabilities, Dangote added, “We have enough gasoline to give to at least the entire West Africa, diesel to give to West Africa and Central Africa. We have enough aviation fuel to give to the entire continent and also export some to Brazil and Mexico.”
“We have started producing jet fuel, we are producing diesel, and by next month, we’ll be producing gasoline. What that will do, it will be able to take most African crude,” Dangote said.