Dangote Petroleum Refinery has commenced production of diesel and aviation fuel.
Gatekeepers News reports that Dangote Refinery, the largest single-train refinery in the world began production in the early hours of Friday.
The development comes days after the refinery received its sixth one million barrels of crude cargo required for the commencement of operations.
President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote in a statement further confirmed the start of production thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu “for his support, encouragement, and thoughtful advice towards the actualisation of this project”.
The Industrialist also appreciated the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and Nigerians for their support and belief in the historic project.
The billionaire noted that the products would hit the market within the month after all regulatory approvals are received.
Dangote was quoted as saying, “We thank President Bola Tinubu for his support and for making our dream come true. This production, as witnessed today, would not have been possible without his visionary leadership and prompt attention to details.
“His intervention at various stages cleared all impediments thereby accelerating the actualisation of the project. We also thank the NNPC, NUPRC and NMDPRA for their support. These organisations have been our dependable partners in this historic journey.
“We also thank Nigerians for their belief and support in this project. We have started the production of diesel and aviation fuel, and the products will be in the market within this month once we receive regulatory approvals.
“This is a big day for Nigeria. We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. This is a game changer for our country, and I am very fulfilled with the actualisation of this project.”
Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Akin Omole, had told journalists at the Dangote quay in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, that the receipt of six million barrels of crude would “facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).”
In May 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the 650,000 bpd capacity refinery.
According to the statement, the refinery can load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries, and its products will conform to Euro V specifications.
Aliko Dangote had said the refinery has secured a license to refine more than 300,000 barrels of crude per day.
