Dangote Refinery To Get Valid Operating Licence Soon – FG

The Federal Government has said it would soon issue a fully valid operating licence to the 650,000 barrels per day capacity Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

The Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, made this known at the  Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum on Midstream and Petroleum Host Community Development Trust Regulations on Tuesday in Abuja.

He explained that though the authority had awarded a pre-commissioning licence to the $20bn refinery, a fully valid operating licence would be issued to the Dangote refinery soon.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, Ogbugo Ukoha, pointed out that currently, only three refineries have valid licences.

He said: “We have issued three refineries with three valid licences. We awarded to Dangote refinery even in their pre-commissioning and sooner than later they will have full commission and a valid licence to also operate.”

Recall that the Dangote refinery was inaugurated by former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023. The facility started releasing Automotive Gas Oil, popularly called diesel to the domestic market in April this year. It has yet to release Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol.

Ahmed also stated that about 15 gas facilities across the country have valid licences while more are undergoing processing.

The NMDPRA boss said there are 1,199 facilities with valid licences in the downstream, while more than 176 operators hold gas import permits.

He said 130 depots have valid licences while 69 hold valid coastal vessel licences, adding that NMDPRA has licensed 9,464 retail outlets as of 10 am on April 30, 2024.