Kwankwaso to FG: Dangote Refinery Must Not Be Allowed to Fail

•Alleges vested interests undermining oil facility 

•Shareholders tackle NMDPRA CEO for allegedly de-marketing $20bn oil asset 

•CSO demands investigation into claims of toxic fuel imports

Chuks Okocha, Michael Olugbode in Abuja and Kayode Tokede in Lagos

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general elections and the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Rabiu Kwankwaso, yesterday urged the federal government to ensure that the Dangote refinery does not fail.

In a post via his X handle, Kwankwaso described the recent controversy surrounding the Dangote refinery’s integrity as an ”unnecessary fuss”, urging the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to exhibit fairness towards such a monumental project.

Kwankwaso described the refinery as a crucial asset for Nigeria’s energy needs and economic stability, emphasising the importance of protecting the asset from any threats that could undermine its operations.

He called on Nigerians and the government to rally around the refinery and stressed that the failure of such the project would be detrimental to the nation’s economic progress.

He wrote: “I was privileged to visit the magnificent Dangote Refinery, and I was marvelled by the sheer commitment that went into the quality of its establishment.

“This 650,000-bpd refinery is essential for our energy needs and economic stability, and it must be protected from all forms of threat.

“The creation of unnecessary fuss around its integrity by some vested interests is very unfortunate, and it stands to undo all the years of hard work to maintain the fragile investor confidence in our economy.

“It’s time for us to rally around this national asset to ensure that the monumental project does not fail. It cannot fail, and the Nigerian government must understand this by demonstrating fairness and confidence in both domestic and foreign critical investments.”

Previously, presidential candidates in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi described the unfolding conflict between Dangote Industries and some government agencies as deeply troubling.

Also, the Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), yesterday condemned the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, for what it said was the deliberate attempt to de-market the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals.

Ahmed had said the diesel the refinery produced was inferior to the ones imported into the country, specifically claiming  that diesel from the Dangote Refinery contained a high sulphur content of over 1,000 parts per million (ppm).

However, National Coordinator, PSAN, Mrs. Bisi Bakare,  in a statement,  obtained by THISDAY, expressed dismay over the allegations from the petroleum regulatory agency regarding the quality of diesel produced by the refinery.

Bakare commended Dangote for his visionary approach in establishing one of the world’s foremost refineries in Nigeria. She highlighted Dangote’s commitment to national development, stressing his patriotism and resolute character through substantial investments like the refinery.

“Dangote has ensured that the bulk of his business investments are local, contributing significantly to economic development through tax payments, extensive job creation, and consistent returns for shareholders,” she added.

The shareholders’ group condemned what it termed the “unwarranted efforts to de-market the refinery” by regulatory bodies.

 They cautioned that such actions could deter both local and international investors and undermine government efforts to stabilise fuel prices and ensure availability.

She said : “We must rally around Dangote Refinery  to provide crucial support such as crude oil allocation, cooperation from international oil companies, and regulatory agency collaboration.”

She stressed the refinery’s potential to save Nigeria over 30 per cent in foreign exchange currently spent on offshore refining, which could significantly alleviate the country’s foreign exchange challenges.

“As shareholders, we remain steadfast in our support of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s vision to bolster the nation’s economy and create more opportunities for our citizens,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), an ecological think-tank organisation advocating for environmental and climate justice, has demanded transparency and an investigation into allegations of the importation of dirty fuel in Nigeria.

HOMEF, in a statement yesterday, made the call in reaction to the feud between the NNPC and Dangote Refinery. It argued that NNPC’s inability to refine petroleum products had been an enormous shame and embarrassment to the nation.

The group alleged that over the decades, NNPC’s poor performance had forced Nigeria into the vice grip of forces of exploitation of colonial proportions, making the country Africa’s largest exporter of crude oil and, at the same time, the largest importer of refined products of dubious quality.

Executive Director, HOMEF, Nnimmo Bassey, in the statement, noted that the company epitomised one of the worst that could be imagined of any raw material exporter post- colonial state anywhere in the world.

Bassey said: “The importation of refined petroleum products has equally foisted heavy economic pressures on the hapless citizens of Nigeria.

“The arrival of the Dangote Refinery has its own huge ecological baggage, especially regarding the plight of neighbouring communities and the general environment. Besides, there are bigger issues related to the creation and operation of what has come to be known as economic zones of exemption.

“HOMEF is alarmed by the cloudy controversies around the Dangote Refinery. The role of the NNPC in the unfolding disputes highlights the opacity of the sector and the inbuilt booby-traps in the regulatory frameworks under which the sector operates.

“Nigeria entered the oil refining business shortly after independence, with the first refinery built in Port Harcourt to meet domestic needs and curb overreliance on importation.

“The Nigerian government acquired the refinery by successive increase of shareholding starting at 50 per cent in 1965 and increased to 60 per cent in 1972 and taking up sole ownership by 1978. The name also had a systematic shift from the Nigeria Petroleum Refining Company to NNPC Refinery, Port Harcourt.”

According to the environmentalist, the Dangote Refinery’s 650,000 bpd capacity could boost Nigeria’s refining capacity and meet its domestic petroleum needs.

Bassey also demanded a participatory social and environmental audit of all the country’s refineries and put in place environmental management plans to ensure the safety of fence-line communities in Lekki, Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.