The Executive Director of the Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority(NMDPRA), Ogbugo Ukoha has alleged that the Dangote Refinery is at its near completion and imminent commencement of operations. He stated that the refinery is currently undergoing pre-commissioning stages, with each refining process undergoing rigorous testing.
He noted that presently the refinery is producing 80,000 barrels of intermediate products, including AGO (Automotive Gas Oil). According to him, the Dangote Refinery is expected to significantly impact not only Nigeria but also the entire sub-region, offering a variety of petroleum products beyond just PMS (Premium Motor Spirit). In contrast to the current limited options, he explained that the Dangote Refinery aims to offer a diverse range of products including LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) alongside PMS.
He said in an interview with Channels TV, "'I'm happy to tell Nigerians that the Dangote Refinery is now almost on stream. The refinery is installed with the capacity of refining 650,000 barrels of crude per day. They are at the pre-commissioning stage. We are testing each priority stage of the refining process. At the point where they are, they are currently producing 80,000 of the intermediate products including AGO.
And so when the full commissioning of Dangote refinery comes, it's going to be a game changer. Not just for Nigeria but for the sub-region. Previously we have nozzles for AGO, Kerosene, and PMS. Currently in many places, its only PMS that you buy. We are going to give you the option, you will have LPG in the station, you will have PMS, you will have CNG. And that is what we are focused on and we are working towards that.''