News
Don’t Import Fuel, Dangote Tells NNPCL, Marketers
...Says: We have enough to supply the country
Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has declared that his Refinery produces enough, and has enough stock to meet the country’s energy needs.
He made the declaration, on Tuesday, after a closed door meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even as he urged petroleum marketers, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, to source petrol directly from his refinery to meet local demands.
Dangote stated that the refinery, operating at optimum capacity, can produce over 30 million litres of fuel daily. Currently, he added, the Refinery has a reserve of 500 million litres,, enough to supply the country for over 12 days without imports.
“We’re more than ready,” Dangote told State House Correspondents, adding that the refinery’s production capacity could offset Nigeria’s fuel needs significantly.
On the persisting fuel scarcity in several parts of the country, the Chairman of Dangote Group declared: “Well, on the streets, one thing that you have to understand is that we are producers. I have a refinery. I’m not in the business of retail. If I’m in the business of retail, then, you hold me responsible.
“But what I’m saying is that the retailers should please come forward and pick, if they don’t, come forward and pick, what do you want me to do? That’s something that I can do.
“So, I am expecting either NNPC or the marketers to stop importing; they should come and pick because we have what they need. And you know, as they move, I will be pumping.
“I don’t know whether you understand what it takes to keep a billion litres inside our tank. It’s costing me money every day. If I can collect the naira, I can charge somebody 32% in interest. So right now, that’s what I’m losing.
“And you are talking about 500 million, you know, I mean, we don’t print money. But the issue is that if they come and collect then you will not see any queues in the filling stations.”
