Dangote want marketers to stop importation of fuel, experts chook mouth on di implications

Di President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday say e sure for am say im refinery na di solution to di fuel queues across di Nigeria.

Dangote bin tok to State House tori pipo for Abuja, wia e urge di Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and marketers across di kontri to stop di importation of fuel.

“Wetin I estimate as our daily consumption na about 30-32 million litters, dat one we fit even start producing by next week. Dat no really be issue becos as we speak today, we get 500 million litres for our tanks.

"Wit dat, even if production no dey anywia or no import, dat go take di kontri more dan 12 days.

“We dey veri ready, we dey more dan ready and I also dey put my name on di line say we go fit supply di market 30 million per day and we dey ramp up, so we dey ready," Dangote tok.

So I dey expect make di NNPCL and di marketers to stop importing, and make dem come collect wetin dem need.

"I no know if you understand wetin e mean to keep half of billion litres in our tanks, e dey cost me moni. Evri day if I suppose collect moni, I fit charge 32 per cent in interest. Dat na wetin I dey lose. If dem come collect den you no go see any queue in di filling stations.”

Dis dey come barely four weeks afta di federal goment begin to implement one policy to sell crude oil to di Dangote Refinery in naira instead of United States dollars.

According to di federal goment, di move go stabilise fuel prices domestically and strengthen di naira by cutting down on di need for dollars in crude oil transactions.

Breakdown for Dangote refinery fit create gap

Nigerian economist Paul Alaye say Dangote refinery get di capacity to produce wetin pipo dey consume for di kontri.

E however add say one refinery no dey enough for di konti to depend on becos any breakdown in system for di Dangote refinery fit "create gap for our system".

Di economist explain say if Nigerians buy from Dangote only, e go monopolise di system and e no go create alternative for di kontri, but marketers also need to stop importation to reduce pressure on foreign exchange.

Oga Alaye tok say goment need create clear plan for di Nigeria petroleum industry.

"Wen marketers continue to import, e mean say pressure go dey on di foreign exchange. Foreign exchange go affect di price of garri and oda food items. If dem increase di price, evribodi go dey in trouble.

"Di price of fuel today don increase for Lagos and oda parts. I no tink say di price fit come down becos we no get any clear plan."

Alhaji Yakubu Puka, wey be member of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) claim say na NNPCL staff dey try sabotage di working operation of di Dangote refinery.

Alhaji Yakubu tok say na free market and goment no dey control di market price again and Dangote no fit tell marketers weda make dem import or buy from im refinery.

E explain say marketers fit import from abroad if di price outside dey profitable.

"Bifor, we dey buy one truck for 6m naira, but now we dey buy for 60m naira. Dangote no fit tell us wia to buy, make im sell im own and we go buy from am, if e cost we go buy from Saudi-Arabia," e tok

"We IPMAN members dey try tok to Dangote to buy petroleum product for price wey we want but if e no agree we go import from outside."

Alhaji Yakubu also explain say NNPCL na private company and dem no suppose dey sell give Nigerians but NNPCL need to allow marketers buy directly from Dangote.

"Dangote get di capacity for Nigeria and oda kontris. NNPCL dey try sabotage Dangote but for about 25 years now refineries don dey fail for dis kontri. Some staff of NNPCL no want Dangote refinery to work," e tok.

"Foreigners don confam say di product from Dangote refinery na quality but NNPCL no get anytin to say against Dangote na im make dem wan dey between Dangote and consumers."