In preparation for the scheduled petrol loading at the Dangote Refinery on Sunday, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has deployed at least 300 trucks to the facility. This was confirmed by NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye in a video posted on his X handle on Saturday.
Soneye stated that as of Saturday afternoon, over 100 NNPCL trucks had already arrived at the refinery, with hundreds more en route. The deployment comes as part of efforts to commence the loading of the first batch of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the refinery.
The development follows an earlier announcement by the Presidential Committee on the Sale of Crude Oil and Refined Products that loading at the Dangote Refinery would begin on Sunday, September 15. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and a member of the committee, disclosed the details during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday.
Adedeji further revealed that starting October 1, NNPCL will supply approximately 385,000 barrels per day (kbpd) of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery, to be paid for in Naira. In exchange, the refinery will provide an equivalent value of petrol and diesel to the domestic market, also paid for in Naira.
“I am glad to announce that all agreements have been completed, and the loading of the first batch of PMS from the Dangote Refinery will commence on Sunday, September 15,” Adedeji said.
He added that while the Dangote Refinery will sell diesel in Naira to any interested off-takers, PMS (petrol) will exclusively be sold to NNPCL, which will then distribute it to various marketers.
The agreement is expected to ease the ongoing petrol shortages across Nigeria and could potentially help reduce the skyrocketing prices of the commodity.
