Aliko Dangote
Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, asserted that substandard petroleum products are being imported into the country and sold to unsuspecting Nigerians. During a visit from the House of Representatives leadership, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, to the Dangote Refinery in Lagos State, Dangote emphasized the need for an investigation to uncover potential saboteurs in the oil sector or any ulterior motives to undermine his business.
Africa’s richest man suggested that the best way to verify the quality of imported products is by purchasing and testing them at filling stations. He stated, “The most important thing, Your Excellency, is to note that the imported one they are encouraging is within the test specs, but independent checks often show different results.”
Refuting claims by Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, that his refinery’s products are substandard, Dangote asserted that his products exceed the quality of imported ones and adhere to the highest standards. Providing evidence, he explained that diesel from his refinery, tested using the ASTM D4294 method, initially had a sulfur content between 600 and 650 parts per million (ppm). This has since improved to 87 ppm, with an expectation to reduce it further to 50 ppm by next Monday.
Dangote highlighted that diesel samples from two filling stations showed sulfur contents of over 1,800 ppm and 2,600 ppm, respectively. He emphasized, “Our quality started at 600 to 650 ppm, and as of today, it’s 87 ppm. I guarantee it will be below 10 ppm soon.”
He called for the regulator to conduct unannounced tests and invited the House of Representatives to investigate the laboratories used by the NMDPR for testing imported products, comparing them with his refinery’s facilities. Dangote expressed openness to independent testing to prove his products’ quality and expose substandard imports.
Dismissing monopoly claims, Dangote clarified that the Dangote Group did not receive special incentives for the refinery’s construction. He also announced the company’s decision to forgo entering Nigeria’s steel industry to avoid monopolization accusations, noting that importing raw materials contradicts the firm’s core mandate.
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