Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged caution amidst the ongoing dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission regarding the supply of crude oil to the refinery.
In a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, Atiku emphasized the importance of prioritizing the growth and development of the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery, likening it to the careful nurturing of a newborn.
“Each parent eagerly awaiting the arrival of a child will dutifully undertake the necessary measures to ensure that the nurturing and development of this precious blessing remain a primary focus,” he said, drawing a parallel between parental care and the need for supportive measures to ensure the refinery’s success.
Atiku further asserted that this principle should extend to all significant investments, whether domestic or foreign, and warned against any actions that could hinder the refinery’s progress.
“With this understanding, I am cautious in considering any deliberate attempts to impede the progress of the Dangote Refinery, a significant private sector project positioned to meet our energy and forex needs. Alongside numerous fellow citizens of goodwill, I call upon all Nigerians to take resolute actions to provide reassurance that both internal and external forces are not collaborating to prevent us from reaping the benefits promised by this eagerly anticipated transformative endeavour,” he added.
The conflict between the Dangote Group and the NUPRC escalated on Friday.
The Dangote Group had accused the commission of failing to enforce the Domestic Crude Supply Obligations, claiming it had not received adequate local crude supplies to operate its refinery.
In response, the NUPRC denied the allegations, stating that it had facilitated the delivery of over 29 million barrels of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery between January and June 2024.
However, the Dangote Refinery quickly countered this, asserting that it did not receive the claimed 29 million barrels.
The NUPRC, in a statement released by its management on Friday, clarified that it had, as part of its efforts to uphold Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, supplied crude to nine refineries despite a drop in the nation’s crude oil production.
The commission added that it had facilitated the supply of 32 million barrels of crude to the Dangote Refinery and other local producers in the first half of 2024 as part of its strategic commitment to ensuring Nigeria’s energy security.
