The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday, urged petroleum marketers, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, to source petrol directly from his refinery to meet local demands.
Dangote confirmed the refinery’s readiness to supply fuel after closed-door talks with President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.
He stated that the refinery can produce over 30 million liters of fuel daily at full capacity and currently holds 500 million liters in reserve, enough to supply the country for over 12 days without imports.
“We’re more than ready,” Dangote assured State House Correspondents, adding that the refinery’s production capacity could offset Nigeria’s fuel needs significantly.
Addressing concerns about fuel scarcity in several parts of the country, he said, “Well, on the streets, one thing that you have to understand is that we are producers. I have a refinery. I’m not in the business of retail. If I’m in the business of retail then you hold me responsible.
“But what I’m saying is that the retailers should please come forward and pick, if they don’t, come forward and pick, what do you want me to do? That’s something that I can do.
“So I am expecting either NNPC or the marketers to stop importing; they should come and pick because we have what they need. And you know, as they move, I will be pumping.
“I don’t know whether you understand what it takes to keep a billion liters inside our tank. It’s costing me money every day. If I can collect the naira, I can charge somebody 32% in interest. So right now, that’s what I’m losing.
“And you are talking about 500 million, you know, I mean, we don’t print money. But the issue is that if they come and collect then you will not see any queues in the filling stations.”