Farouk Ahmed, The Head Of The Nmdpra, Has Received Criticism From Nigerians For Statements He Made About The Dangote Refinery

Farouk Ahmed, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), has faced criticism for his controversial statements about the Dangote Refinery, with many Nigerians calling for his resignation. 

Ahmed commented on Thursday regarding the $19 billion refinery, claiming that the fuel produced is inferior to that imported into the nation.

The authority's chief further reported that fuel from the Dangote Refinery had a high sulfur concentration of around 1,000 parts per million (ppm).  

In response to charges that the NMDPRA was enabling traders to import bad gasoline into Nigeria, Ahmed stated that Dangote's fuel had more sulfur.  

He said that the refinery, which has been selling diesel and aviation fuel in Nigeria for months, is now unlicensed and in the pre-commissioning stage.

“We cannot rely heavily on one refinery to feed the nation, because Dangote is requesting that we should suspend or stop the importation of all petroleum products, especially AGO, and direct all marketers to the refinery, that is not good for the nation in terms of energy security. And that is not good for the market, because of monopoly.  

“In terms of quality, currently the AGO quality in terms of sulfur is the lowest as far as the West African requirement of 50 ppm is concerned. 

“Dangote refinery and some modular refineries, like Waltersmith refinery and Aradel refinery, are producing between 650 to 1,200ppm. So, in terms of quality, their product is much more inferior to the imported quality,” he said. 

Nigerians respond to "distasteful" comments.  

Nigerians are vehemently condemning the NMDPRA's CEO in response to what they see as a "distasteful" move to "de-market" the refinery, with some even asking for his resignation.  

Many people on social media are urging President Bola Tinubu to remove Ahmed from his post, claiming that his views do not represent the interests of the country.  

On Instagram, for example, Nigerians accused the government of caving in to import cartels and damaging the refinery.

Obarotv wrote: These guys import the worst kind of diesel that is banned in the West. They are making big bucks with imports and don’t want to see an end to it. 

Owelle_Chima has this to say: If Dangote begins to produce all petroleum products in Nigeria, the subsidy scam will end. These guys don’t want it. They will frustrate Dangote until his mental billions investment goes down the drain.  

Iyelife1 says: A few years ago, we used to refer to “made in China,” as inferior. Now most things we consume are from China. We need to support domestic production. Excessive importation is killing our currency and economy.   

What You Should Know

The Dangote Refinery, located in the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos, Nigeria, is one of the world's largest oil refineries. The Dangote Group initiated it to meet Nigeria's local demand for refined petroleum products, hence reducing the country's reliance on imported fuel.  

The refinery's anticipated capacity is 650,000 barrels per day, which will shift Nigeria from an importer to a net exporter of refined petroleum products. 

Construction of the refinery began in 2016, with sophisticated engineering and large investments. The refinery houses a petrochemical and fertilizer factory, making it a major industrial hub in the region. 

The Dangote Refinery influences industries other than oil. It is expected to provide thousands of employment and support economic growth in Nigeria. By creating an excess of refined goods, it hopes to stabilize gasoline prices and maintain a consistent supply for local markets, therefore helping energy security.