Dangote Petroleum Refinery has categorically refuted claims of reselling crude oil shipments, following a report from a news outlet about operational challenges at the plant.
The report, published on Friday, claimed that technical problems had led the refinery to resell crude oil from the United States and Nigeria.
It further alleged that the refinery was offering various grades of crude, including US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland and Nigerian Escravos and Forcados crudes.
The report also suggested that while such reselling practices are rare, they are not unprecedented.
In response, Anthony Chiejina, Chief Branding and Communication Officer for Dangote Group dismissed the claims as false and aimed at discrediting the refinery.
In a statement on Saturday, Chiejina urged the public to disregard such news as it only intends to scuttle the refinery.
“Our attention has been drawn to a misleading report suggesting that our refinery’s crude distillation unit (CDU) is experiencing issues and that we are reselling crude oil.
“We categorically deny these claims. The Dangote refinery is not authorized to sell crude oil purchased from Nigeria, and our CDU is fully operational and functioning optimally.
“We advise the public to disregard these false narratives, which are likely driven by interests opposed to the local refining of fuels,” he said.
The Dangote refinery has recently been at the centre of a controversy involving oil regulators over feedstock to the facility.
▪ The management of the 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery has accused International Oil Companies (IOCs) of trying to undermine its success.
▪ In response, regulators have alleged that Dangote aims to monopolize the industry. Dangote has firmly denied these allegations, clarifying that such claims are another attempt to sabotage the $19 billion investment.
The ongoing dispute highlights the power dynamics within the oil industry and the challenges faced by major players.
