New Refineries: NNPCL May Cut Crude Supply To Dangote Plant

The Federal Government may cut its crude oil supply to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, reducing it from the current allocation of 300,000 barrels per day, except if there is a surge in Nigeria’s oil output, The PUNCH gathered on Wednesday.

This reduction is expected to take place as part of adjustments under the government’s naira-for-crude initiative following the coming onstream of the Warri and Port Harcourt refineries.

Both refineries currently operate at a combined capacity of about 135,000 barrels per day. The plants, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, commenced operations recently after years of neglect by successive governments, preferring fuel imports.

It was gathered that the planned reduction of crude to the Dangote refinery was also predicated on the necessity to ensure a sufficient supply of crude to all refineries.

This is aimed at boosting competition in the downstream sector, with the government facilitating this through the naira-for-crude initiative. Before the initiative, the government used to allocate about 445,000 barrels per day of crude to domestic refineries operated by NNPCL.