Report shows Nigeria imported $2.25b fuel from Malta, confirms Dangote’s allegation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Nigeria imported from Malta petroleum oils obtained from bituminous minerals worth $2.8 billion in 2023, up 342 per cent from $47.5 million in 2013, according to data compiled by Trade Map.
That gives credence to claim by Aliko Dangote that some Nigerians, including oil regulation top brass, operate blending plants in the Mediterranean country to sabotage supply of crude to local refiners.
Dangote Refinery owner Ali Dangote alleged some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NPPC) have blending plants in Malta, one reason they and some other elements are sabotaging his effort to end fuel imports to save hard currency for the national treasury and boost economy.
Trade Map data shows in the 10 years from 2013 to 2023, Nigeria imported $2.25 billion worth of fuel from Malta, broken down as follows:
- 2013 – $47.5 million
- 2014 – $59.98 million
- 2015 – $117.01 million
- 2016 – $13.32 million
- 2017 – no import from Malta
- 2018 – no import
- 2019 – no import
- 2020 – no import
- 2021 – no import
- 2022 – no import
- 2023 – $2.08 billion
“Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people, and some traders have opened blending plants somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are doing,” Dangote said.
NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari denied personally owning a blending plant outside Nigeria, after he said he was inundated with calls from folks asking if he is one of the racketeers operating blending plants in Malta.
“I am inundated by enquiries from family members, friends, and associates on the public declaration by the President of Dangote Group that some NNPC workers have established a blending plant in Malta, thereby impeding procurements from local production of petroleum products,” Kyari said.
“To clarify the allegations regarding the blending plant, I do not own or operate any business directly or by proxy anywhere in the world except for a local mini-agric venture, neither am I aware of any employee of the NNPC that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else in the world.
Dangote blew the lid off the scandal after Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, alleged without evidence the diesel produced by Dangote Refinery had higher sulphur content than imported ones, making it inferior to those imported.
Dangote refuted the allegation and described it as an attempt to demarket his refinery.
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