NDMPRA Replies Dangote over Dirty Fuel Claims, Backs Marketers

NDMPRA Replies Dangote over Dirty Fuel Claims, Backs Marketers

  • The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is backing oil marketers
  • The authority denied claims by the Dangote refinery that it licensing marketers who import dirty fuel into Nigeria
  • The agency asked Nigerians not to panic over the dirty fuel claims raised by the Dangote Refinery

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is backing oil marketers, denying claims that they are importing substandard and dirty fuel into Nigeria.

The Authority asked Nigerians not to panic over the dirty fuel allegations made by the Dangote Refinery.

NMDPRA replies Dangote, NNPC
Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed and President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote Credit: Bloomberg/Contributor
Source: Getty Images

Marketers deny importing dirty fuel

The development comes as fuel marketers, under the aegis of the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), also denied importing dirty petroleum products into Nigeria.

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Reports say NMDPRA’s executive director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure Ogbugo Ukoha, disclosed that the sulfur content in the fuel this June was within the lawful limit.

He revealed that the NMDPRA met with marketers and refiners to ensure a level playing field between import marketers and local refiners and to ensure supply stability within a stable price regime.

Marketers accuse Dangote of spreading inaccuracies 

According to reports, he stated that the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) endorsed a declaration in 2020 adopting the African Fuel Roadmap, requiring that certain products have a minimum of 50PPM per million litres of sulfur.

The NMDPRA said that while it encourages immediate enforcement of imports to comply with standards, the same treaty deferred enforcement for local refiners until December 31, 2024.

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The petroleum marketers said the Dangote Refinery claims are inaccurate. They stated that the new refineries are built with a plant sulfurisation limit, which will reduce it to 10PPM.

Dangote raises alarm over dirty fuel import

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, has revealed that the Nigerian Midstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) 's indiscriminate licensing of oil marketers is allowing the import of dirty diesel and aviation fuel into Nigeria.

Edwin disclosed this during an interaction with a group of Energy Editors at a one-day training programme organized by the Dangote Group.

He said the NMDPRA continues to license marketers to import banned refined petroleum products from other countries into Nigeria.

Edwin said that despite Dangote's efforts to meet ECOWAS standards, NMDPRA grants marketers licenses to import high-sulfur petrol from Russia into Nigeria.

He disclosed that since the US and UK issued a cap on Russia’s petroleum products, the products are now being dumped in Nigeria’s market.

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Marketers suggest new fuel price to Dangote as filling stations buy ‘cheaper’ imported fuel

Dangote accuses IOCs Nigeria of trying to collapse refinery

Legit.ng previously reported that the vice president of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin, accused international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria of trying to frustrate the survival of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals.

He said the IOCs deliberately and wilfully frustrate the refinery’s efforts to purchase crude oil by inflating the prime price above the market price, thereby compelling the refinery to import crude from other countries such as the US.

Edwin, who spoke to a group of Energy Editors at a one-day training organized by the Dangote Group, said the refinery has exported about 90% of the 3.5 billion litres of petroleum products since it began operation and asked the Nigerian government to provide the refinery with the necessary support to create jobs for Nigeria.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Pascal Oparada avatar

Pascal Oparada (Business editor) For over a decade, Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy. He has worked in many media organizations such as Daily Independent, TheNiche newspaper, and the Nigerian Xpress. He is a 2018 PwC Media Excellence Award winner. Email:pascal.oparada@corp.legit.ng