For the purpose of clarity, Farouk Ahmed is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The agency regulates refineries and ensures petroleum products, either imported or produced within the country, meet set standards. However, describing Ahmed as the “Chief Operating Officer” of the cabal responsible for the importation of petroleum products into this country is apropos.
The conspirators have found an undertaker in the person of the NMDPRA boss. They are on a mission to destroy Dangote Refinery, the firm that recently started producing diesel and aviation fuel. For them, the importation of petroleum products must continue.
Last year, this country spent almost 35 percent of its forex earnings on importing petroleum products. The cabal wants this weird USD business to persist. They have already strangulated the four refineries owned by government and can’t imagine Dangote Refinery running them out of business. The end of their dirty USD business was imminent with Dangote Refineries producing diesel and jet fuel, and set for the production of petrol. The refinery will hit production of 550,000 bpd of crude oil by the end of this year, equivalent to 85 per cent of its full capacity. This is why the cabal is badly shaken. And that was why Ahmed, the recruited undertaker, shamefully declared last week that the petroleum products from Dangote were substandard.
Ahmed claims that the diesel and jet fuel from the refinery are of lower quality than the one imported by NNPCL. He said: “So, in terms of quality, currently, Dangote Refinery as well as some major refineries like Waltersmith Refinery, produce diesel with a Sulphur content of between 650PPM (Parts Per Million) and 1,200PPM. So, in terms of quality, they are much inferior to the imported ones.”
Now, this is the truth that must be told. Diesel with a Sulphur content of between 650 PPM and 1,200 PPM are globally permissible. There is no harm in them. However, Dangote Refinery never produced anything near 1,200 PPM in all that it has sent out so far. At the initial stage, it was churning out diesel with a sulphur content of between 600PPM and 650PPM. By this week, the quality of its diesel had improved with the sulphur content reducing to 87PPM. It is expected to be down to 50PPM by July 29.
On the other hand, it is the imported diesel cleared by Ahmed and his NMDPRA that has a dangerously high Sulphur content. Some imported samples taken from the Lagos market this week showed Sulphur content of between 1,800PPM and 2,600PPM. Ahmed is yet to dispute this. The NMDPRA test imported diesel on the high sea with rickety mobile laboratory and inept/corrupt manpower. So, Ahmed and his compromised NMDPRA staff simply clear almost every imported diesel. What a country!
The petroleum product import schemers are making progress because Ahmed’s NMDPRA is still issuing diesel import approvals. Ahmed recently openly declared (without fear) that the Federal Government would not stop the importation of petroleum products because of the Dangote Refinery.
Recently, Ahmed also roguishly declared: “The Dangote Refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage. It has not been licensed yet. I think they have about 45 per cent completion. We cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO and direct all marketers to the refinery. That is not good for the nation in terms of energy security. And that is not good for the market, because of monopoly.”
The NMDPRA boss clearly exposed his agenda with the statement above. It was one of the strategies to frustrate Dangote. This has been the game of the cabals that has made Nigeria not have a single functioning refinery for years. It showed that Ahmed is openly on the side of the cabal importing petroleum products; that Dangote Refinery must be destroyed in line with the wish of the cabal. Ahmed shamelessly lied that Dangote Refinery is at 45 per cent completion.
He is even talking about Dangote scheming to become a monopoly by asking for the stoppage of diesel import approvals. Haba! Why must Nigeria continue to waste huge forex importing diesel when the local plants can meet our demands? Besides, Ahmed has suddenly forgotten that NNPCL has four refineries capable of processing 445,000 barrels of crude oil per day if allowed to function by his cabal.
The war against Dangote Refinery started when its local crude oil demands were rejected. NNPCL promised 300,000 bpd but reneged. Dangote has only received five crude cargoes from the NNPCL since it started operation earlier this year.
The refinery had to opt for crude oil importation at a very high cost, running from Brazil, to the United States and now, Libya, so as to produce. The cabal was shocked Dangote was able to resolve the crude oil challenges. They have now opened a fresh war against his quality petroleum products.
Now, this is my position. The Tinubu government must truly and committedly protect the Dangote Refinery if it truthfully wants an end to Nigeria’s forex crisis. It must also totally tackle the cabal importing petroleum product.
As a first step, Ahmed, the NMDPRA boss must be immediately sacked to end the frightening belief by many Nigerians that his actions against Dangote were endorsed by top members of the Tinubu government.
The Tinubu government must also immediately issue clear instructions banning the importation of diesel and aviation fuel. It is obvious that Dangote Refinery has the capacity to meet local demands. Besides, Dangote’s products are clearly better than the imported ones.
There are no complaints from those using the diesel. Both local and foreign airlines are now using the jet fuel. The good thing is that the Port Harcourt Refinery, according to the NNPCL, will resume production before the end of this year. So, Nigeria is good to go. Dangote Refinery must be stoutly protected and motivated.
RingTrue with Yemi Adebowale, July 23, 2024. yemiadebowale@yahoo.com; 08054699539 (text only)