Oil marketers has revealed that they were still awaiting the supply of refined petroleum products From the $20 billion naira Dangote Petroleum Refinery, four weeks after the launch of production at the multi-billion dollar plant.

Dangote refinery had on January 12 2024, declared that it had started the production of Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel, and aviation fuel or JetA1.

The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, in a statement issued by his firm at the time, thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support,encouragement and thoughtful advice toward the existence of the project.

He said, “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 involvement at various stages cleared all obstacles also accelerating the existence of the project.we also thank the NNPC, NUPRC and NMDPRA for their support. These association have been our supportive member 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.”

The company had also registered independent and major oil marketers to start lifting products from the plant, but operators in the sector stated on Monday that nothing of such had started yet.

Abubakar Maigandi, the National President, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria said, “They have not called us up till now.”.

“We are still optimistic that they will call us to come and start lifting products. It is when we start loading that we can talk about the price and others.

So for now we are awaiting their call and we assure Nigerians that once we start loading products from there, it is going to get to the over 30,000 filling stations operated by IPMAN members across the country.”

On  8 February,2024, wakadaily learnt that remaining regulatory approvals may have stalled the refinery’s plan to release aviation fuel and diesel for sale in the Nigerian market in January.

Source at Abuja headquarters and Lagos regional office of the Nigeria midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, the regulator of Nigeria’s midstream and downstream oil sector, had confirmed that the process for the release of regulatory approvals was still ongoing at the time.

“Certainly before any release of goods are made, approval must have been granted and this is being worked. The appropriate department is working out the approvals.

“We cannot tell you exactly what these approvals consist of. But the fact is that for Dangote refinery to release products, the requisite approvals must be granted, because the regulator needs to look at the quality of the products, whether they (products) meet specifications, etc, before they are being released to the market.

“So the approvals are being worked on. Although, I cannot give you the date when it is going to be completed, but just know that the process is ongoing and I’ll brief you on an updated position,” an official, who pleaded not to be named due to lack of authorisation, stressed.

Thus, wakadaily gathered that oil marketers are yet to receive the commercial terms for the supply of products from the facility, saying that this was still being awaited.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Major Energies’ Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, noted that, “The commercial terms are still being sorted out and we are expecting that information from the refinery as well.”