The Federal Government, on Tuesday, declared that it was set to issue a fully valid operating licence to the 650,000 barrels per day capacity Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
It announced this at the Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum on Midstream and Petroleum Host Community Development Trust Regulations organised by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Abuja.
The NMDPRA, an agency of the Federal Government, however, explained that though it had awarded a pre-commissioning licence to the $20bn refinery, a fully valid operating licence would be issued to the Dangote refinery soon.
Dangote refinery was inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023. The facility started releasing Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel to the domestic market in April this year. It has yet to release Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.
Speaking at the forum in Abuja on Tuesday, the Chief Executive, NMDPRA, Farouk Ahmed, told industry players and other stakeholders that the authority would issue a fully valid operating licence to the refinery very soon.
Ahmed, who was represented by the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, pointed out that currently, only three refineries have valid licences.
“We have issued three refineries with three valid licences. We awarded Dangote refinery even in their pre-commissioning and sooner than later they will have full commission and a valid licence to also operate,” he stated.
