Aliko Dangote, the CEO of the Dangote Refinery, has responded to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s (NMDPRA) claims that the refinery is generating low-quality goods.
In a statement to reporters on Saturday, Dangote said that the products coming out of the refinery not only met but exceeded industry standards, with a parts per million (ppm) reading now at 32.
According to the business tycoon, the refinery was initially turning out about 665 parts per million, or the highest quality possible.
But since then, their products’ sulphur content has dropped to 32 parts per million.
According to tests, some filling stations in Nigeria are selling items with sulphur levels as high as 1000 parts per million or more, he continued.
“In terms of quality, when we started, our quality was about six hundred to six fifty ppm, the ppm was one of the best in terms of quality at the time we started.”
“But as of today, we are at 87 ppm. And you can take a sample on Monday. By Monday, we will be less than 50 ppm. By the beginning of August, we will be at 10 ppm.”
“Nobody can make anything better than us in terms of quality. We are currently down to even 32 ppm, according to the results I received from our official five minutes ago,” Dangote went on to add.
Dangote requests that regulators test the product
Dangote also issued a challenge to authorities, such as the NMDPRA, to visit the refinery and assess the calibre of its output.
The richest guy in Africa pointed out that their products have a flashpoint of 96, whilst other fueling stations have flashpoints as low as 26.
He said that regulators should not set flashpoint metrics lower than 66.
He continued by saying that their refinery’s ppm is expected to go below 10 by the middle of August.
“The Speaker of the House instructed us to gather samples from two fueling stations on our way here. Additionally, we picked up samples when we arrived at our plant. The outcomes are in fact available.”
“They looked at Total, and it was 1,890 ppm. The reading at the other petrol station was 2,563 ppm. Then, the flashpoint metrics were below the minimal, at 61. 66 is the minimal. There are a total of 26 flashpoints. It is 96 in ours. The documents are in the file. When they send in ships, we don’t think that people can be tested. We conduct our own experiments.”
“Our ppm will be below 10 before the regulators arrive, and I want to beg them to come at any time,” Dangote concluded.
Backstory
Prior to this, the Dangote Refinery was accused by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of producing lower-quality goods than those that were imported.
This assertion was made by NMDPRA chief Farouk Ahmed, who said that Dangote’s diesel was of a lower quality at 665 parts per million.
Ahmed’s remarks caused a considerable outcry from the general public. His comments, according to many, were inappropriate because they hurt a significant local industry and were not accurate in representing the quality of the refinery’s output.
Dangote has urged regulators to test their products in response. According to the company, they are manufacturing goods of a higher calibre than the majority of filling stations in Nigeria, and they stand by this claim with confidence.
