The last may not have been heard on the diesel quality controversy involving Nigeria’s indigenous refinery, Dangote Refinery and NMDPRA
By Emma Ogbuehi
The last may not have been heard on the diesel quality controversy involving Nigeria’s indigenous refinery, Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority (NMDPRA).
Recall that Aliko Dangote, the CEO of Dangote Refinery, had, last month, claimed that product from his refinery was of impeccable quality, adding that the diesel fuel produced by his refinery had low Sulphur content.
In tow, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has passed a vote of confidence on the refinery, saying Nigeria’s oil regulators are doing great disservice to the country.
Speaking after a tour of the refinery facility in Lagos, leaders of the students’ body comprising those from Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, said it would take an enemy of Nigeria to rubbish the gigantic project that would stop importation of fuel once and for all and save the nation of the scarce forex.
The NANS Senate President, Akinteye Afiz addressing the management of the Dangote Refinery said they had the mandate of Nigerian students to come and assess the situation of the refinery having been told that the refinery was uncompleted and inferior in all standards.
Dangote had also recently accused major players and regulatory agencies of sabotaging the $19 billion refinery’s efforts to secure necessary feedstock for its operations.
In response, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Authority (NMDPRA) CEO Farouk Ahmed stated that Dangote’s fuel has higher Sulphur content, a harmful element in crude oil.
According to him, “the Lagos-headquartered refinery and other modular refineries produced diesel with Sulphur content ranging from 650 ppm (parts per million) to 1200 ppm.”
The presidency has waded into the dispute, with President Bola Tinubu directing the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), to be selling crude to Dangote Reinery in Naira.
However, Abuja based Newspaper, Politics Nigeria has, based on analysis of data sourced from certified laboratory results and delivery records, reports that the diesel fuel from Dangote Refinery contains high Sulphur content at least 400 percent higher than European Union (EU) standards.
According to the analysis by the newspaper, statistics from the reinery may have misrepresented facts and possibly manipulated information.
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It quoted a source at the University of Cambridge as explaining that Sulphur is a natural element in crude oil, which is usually removed during refining processes because high amounts in fuel damage engines and cause environmental pollution.
“When fuel with high Sulphur content is burnt, it produces Sulphur dioxide (SO2), a harmful gas that contributes to environmental pollution. This is particularly concerning as Sulphur dioxide is a major contributor to acid rain, which can harm ecosystems, damage buildings and infrastructure, and pose health risks to humans and animals,” she stated.
The medium further alleged that the collated test results of AGO (Diesel) including lab results of diesel fuel supplied to retailers between April and last month, by the refinery indicated that the Sulphur content went up to as high as 1200 ppm.
The fuel, delivered in 32 batches, was supplied to different retail companies.
As part of moves to discredit the NMDPRA CEO’s claims and shield itself from public scrutiny, Dangote Refinery organised a testing of its diesel during a tour of the facility by a group of House of Representatives members on July 20. Samples from the refinery were collected alongside some diesel samples procured from two filling stations along the Lekki-Epe Expressway.
During the tour, Dangote had said: “Lab tests revealed that Dangote’s diesel had a Sulphur content of 87.6 ppm, whereas the other two samples showed Sulphur levels exceeding 1800 ppm and 2000 ppm respectively.
“In terms of quality, when we started, our quality was about six hundred to six fifty ppm; the ppm was one of the best in terms of quality at the time we started. But as of today, we are at 87 ppm. And you can take a sample on Monday. By Monday, we will be less than 50 ppm. By the beginning of August, we will be at 10 ppm.”
However, according to impeccable sources familiar with the company’s operations, the testing did not reflect the actual results of the diesel fuel Dangote Refinery supplies to the market, Politics Nigeria, alleged.
