Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the federal government to exercise caution amid the ongoing public dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) concerning the supply of crude oil to the refinery.
In a series of posts on his X handle @Atiku on Saturday, Atiku emphasized the importance of ensuring the success of the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, which is expected to play a pivotal role in addressing Nigeria’s energy needs and reducing the country’s reliance on foreign exchange for fuel imports.
“Just as parents eagerly awaiting the arrival of a child take every necessary step to nurture and develop this precious blessing, so too must we be vigilant in safeguarding the progress of the Dangote Refinery,” Atiku stated. “This significant private sector project holds the potential to transform our energy sector and address our forex challenges.”
Atiku expressed concern over any actions that might hinder the refinery’s operations, urging the federal government to prioritize the project’s success. “With this understanding, I am deeply concerned about any deliberate attempts to impede the progress of the Dangote Refinery. It is a project of national importance, and its success is crucial to meeting our energy and foreign exchange needs.”
He also called on all Nigerians to support the refinery and to ensure that no internal or external forces are working to undermine its objectives. “Together with countless citizens of goodwill, I urge all Nigerians to take decisive steps to provide assurance that both internal and external forces are not conspiring to deny us the benefits of this eagerly anticipated transformative endeavor.”
The ongoing crude supply crisis at the Dangote Refinery escalated on Friday when the Dangote Group accused the NUPRC of failing to effectively enforce the domestic crude supply obligations. According to the Dangote Group, this shortfall has severely impacted the refinery’s ability to operate at full capacity.
In response, the NUPRC stated that it had facilitated the supply of over 29 million barrels of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery from January to June 2024. However, the refinery countered that it had not received the 29 million barrels of crude oil claimed by the NUPRC, further intensifying the dispute.
The Dangote Refinery, which is the largest in Africa and one of the largest in the world, is seen as a game-changer for Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The success of this project is expected to have far-reaching implications for the nation’s economy, particularly in terms of energy security and foreign exchange savings.
As the situation continues to unfold, Atiku’s call for caution and support highlights the critical need for the federal government to ensure that all parties involved work collaboratively to resolve the issues and secure the refinery’s successful operation.
