Rest At Last: Bullish Dangote Celebrates The Production Of PMS With Products In Filling Stations Within 48 Hrs. Nigerians Jubilate
The Oasis Reporters
September 3, 2024
When images of one of Africa’s billionaire investors streamed in while receiving the then newly emerged Zenith Bank Plc GMD/CEO, Dame Adaora Umeoji and her management team, my eyes went to Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s fast graying hair, then his face.
Something told my spirit man that challenges were evident in his gait.
It wasn’t long in unraveling itself. The bullish investor who believes strongly in a buoyant Nigeria and has invested a whopping $20 billion to construct a much needed Refinery in his home country was staring at obstacles that needed to be surmounted.
But how?
Once his gigantic refinery comes on stream, he would need a huge flow of crude oil to blend into gasoline (petrol) etc, not only for the domestic market, but also for export. If he succeeds, Nigeria was going to save a lot of dollars that would have gone into the importation of what Nigeria could produce within the country since the nation was a leading producer of Crude oil.
But alas, a crooked government that left office had mortgaged the country’s future crude oil production while they collected the money in advance and had spent it on frivolities.
That was the dilemma.
Refinery was almost ready. But there was no crude oil. Dangote had grayed some more. And with a little noise made in the media about the catastrophe, prominent Nigerians waded in and the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu could not shut its ears.
Finally today September 3, 2024, both Dangote and the nation sighed in joy, and the taut face of Aliko Dangote showed some signs of relief. The government has ruled that he could receive Crude oil for his refinery with payments made in Naira. He would also sell petrol, diesel ,polypropylene and other petroleum products in naira to the domestic market.
A jubilant Nigerian called it “a huge win for Nigeria. Many thanks to the bull himself, Aliko Dangote. The one who dared where everyone ran away from. Bigger risk, bigger reward. He deserves it”.
NMDPRA and NNPCL have reached agreement to start selling and supplying crude oil to Dangote Refinery using local currency.
“The refinery is now poised to supply an initial 25 million litres of PMS into the domestic market this September. And will subsequently increase this amount to 30 million liters daily from October 2024.” – Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) said.
Aliko Dangote is thanking President Ahmed Tinubu and all Nigerians who supported him and supported the enterprise. He has shown how beautiful his petrol is. We at The Oasis Reporters watched the proceedings live and are happy to report this epochal event.
Greg Abolo
gregabolo@gmail.com
