DANGOTE BREAKS SILENCE OVER REFINERY’S PETROL PUMP PRICE
Africa’s richest man and owner of a $20 billion Lagos-based refinery, Aliko Dangote, has said the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, from his refinery is ready and will arrive at filling stations in the country within the next 48 hours.
He, however, said that arriving at the filing stations within the time depends on the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Mr Dangote’s comment is contained in a video published on Facebook by Channels Television.
The price of petrol has skyrocketed since May 2023 when President Bola Tinubu, in his inaugural address, declared an end to petrol subsidy.
The policy has triggered a jump in the price of petrol by over 400 per cent from N189 to over N900 currently. It has also triggered a leap in inflation.
Asked to comment on the pricing of petrol from his refinery, Mr Dangote said it would be decided by President Tinubu-led Federal Executive Council
“It is an arrangement which is designed and approved by the federal executive council led by President Tinubu.
“As soon as it is finalised, once we finish with NNPCL, which can be today, can be tomorrow we are ready to roll into the market,” Mr Dangote said.
Channels reported that Mr Dangote has declared today “a celebration day” for Nigerians, assuring the people that they are now going to have good petrol that will last longer.
“You will not be having an engine issue, which a lot of us were having. It won’t happen at all. The quality here will match that of anywhere in the world; US, America, we will make sure nobody will beat us in terms of quality,” Mr Dangote assured Nigerians.
But long queues have resurfaced in petrol stations across the country amidst the expected arrival of petrol from the Dangote refinery.
In NNPCL Mega Station in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for instance, long queues spanning kilometres were seen on Tuesday morning when our reporter visited.