BY GODWIN OBI
Aliko Dangote, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group and Farouk Ahmed, Authority Chief Executive of the NMDPRA
Nigeria’s Minister for State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, on Monday convened a high-level meeting with top executives from Dangote Group, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) to address the ongoing issues surrounding the Dangote Refinery.
Recall that Vice President, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin, had sometimes ago lamented the activity of the NMDPRA in granting licences indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country.
NMDPRA Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed, had also allegedly recently that, in terms of quality, currently, the AGO (diesel) quality of Dangote Refinery in terms of sulphur is the lowest as far as West Africa’s requirement of 50 parts per million (ppm) is concerned.
Nneamaka Okafor, the special adviser on media and communication to the minister, disclosed on Monday that, present at the meeting with the Minister to resolve the impasse were Aliko Dangote, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dangote Group; Farouk Ahmed, chief executive of the NMDPRA; Gbenga Komolafe, chief executive officer of the NUPRC and Mele Kyari, NNPC’s group chief executive officer.
Ms Okafor said the stakeholders expressed their gratitude to the minister for his exemplary leadership and timely intervention in facilitating the crucial dialogue.
The statement noted that the meeting focused on finding a sustainable and lasting solution to the current impasse affecting the Dangote refinery, with all parties demonstrating a commitment to collaborative and proactive problem-solving.
According to the statement, the minister emphasised the importance of cooperation and synergy among all stakeholders to ensure the success and optimal performance of the oil and gas sector, which is pivotal for Nigeria’s economic growth and energy security.
“This meeting marks a significant step towards resolving the challenges and underscores the minister’s dedication to fostering a conducive environment for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector,” the statement said.
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