Nigerian billionaire businessman and President of the Dangote Refinery, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said that his refinery will kick off the distribution of petrol across Nigeria effective August 2024.
Speaking during a press parley at the refinery in Ibeju-Lekki on Sunday, July 14, 2024, Alhaji Dangote said that the coast was now clear for the petrol rollout after the Dangote management has settled its crude oil supply issues through the help of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the federal government.
The crude supply challenge, we gathered, occured after attempts by the international oil companies to frustrate Dangote Industries Limited’s efforts at purchasing crude for the refinery.
The journalists had earlier embarked on a guided tour of the refinery facilities, which is located at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos.
Apart from settling the crude supply issues, Alhaji Dangote also revealed that the refinery’s fertiliser unit would resume production before the end of July, a move he said would give farmers more access to fertiliser for their farm products.
Alhaji Aliko also revealed to journalists that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited’s failure to pay the balance for its agreed 20 percent stake has left NNPCL with just 7.2 percent share.
“NNPCL was meant to pay the balance for its 20 percent stake by June but failed to fulfil the obligation. As a result, their ownership has been reduced to 7.2 percent,” Alhaji Dangote stated.
Asked during the session why despite his financial weight he does not own a house abroad, the acclaimed Africa’s richest man explained that his passion to see Nigeria industrialised is the main reason.
“The reason I don’t have houses in London or America is mainly because I wanted to focus on industrialization in Nigeria.”
He, however, added that he once owned a London house which he sold in 1996. Now, he says he owns a house in Lagos, one in his home state, Kano and a rented house in Abuja.
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