Politics

Nigeria’s Dangote refinery set to get valid operating licence

Published

5 months ago

May 1, 2024

The Nigerian government has revealed that the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery will soon receive a full operating licence.

This was declared during the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority’s Stakeholders’ Consultation Forum on Midstream and Petroleum Host Community Development Trust Regulations in Abuja.

However, the federal government’s NMDPRA clarified that although it had given the $20 billion refinery a pre-commissioning license, the Dangote refinery would shortly receive a fully operational license.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari opened the Dangote refinery in May 2023. In April of this year, the plant began supplying automotive gas oil, sometimes known as diesel, to the domestic market. Premium Motor Spirit, or petrol, has not yet been released.

NMDPRA Chief Executive Farouk Ahmed assured industry participants and other stakeholders during his speech at the summit in Abuja on Tuesday that the refinery would receive a fully operational license from the authority very soon.

Ahmed noted that just three refineries now have legal licenses. Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director of distribution Systems, Storage and Retailing Infrastructure, NMDPRA, represented him.

“We have issued three refineries with three valid licences. We awarded to Dangote refinery even in their pre-commissioning and sooner than later they will have full commission and a valid licence also to operate,” he stated.

He added that more licenses are being processed for approximately 15 gas facilities nationwide, out of the total number. As per the NMDPRA chief, 1,199 downstream facilities have valid licenses, and over 176 operators are authorized to import gas.

According to the head of NMDPRA, over 176 operators have gas import permits, while 1,199 downstream facilities have valid licenses. As of 10 a.m. on April 30, 2024, NMDPRA had licensed 9,464 retail shops. He also stated that 130 depots and 69 coastal vessel licenses were in effect.

“In the gas processing facility within the midstream, there are about 15 of them with valid licences. And much is under processing. If you go to the downstream sector, in the gas state of the downstream, more than 1,199 facilities have NMDPRA valid licences.

“More than 176 operators hold gas import permits. In the liquid licensing side of the downstream, there are 130 depots with valid licences and coastal vessels of more than 69 valid licences as of today. And in the retail outlets, we have 9,464 licensed retail outlets as of 10 am today, April 30,” Ahmed stated.

Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa, yet it frequently faces fuel shortages. It imports roughly 33 million litres of petroleum products per day and spent $23.3 billion last year. None of Nigeria’s publicly owned refineries has worked to capacity for years, despite several investments to revive them. The failure of both the previous and current governments has contributed to the high level of national anticipation surrounding the Dangote refinery.

Related Topics:DANGOTE REFINERY Featured Nigeria

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Politics

Tunisian court mandates electoral commission to reinstate presidential contenders

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

The highest court in Tunisia has issued an order requiring the electoral commission to re-enter two candidates for an October presidential election, cautioning that not doing so might compromise the election’s credibility.

The Administrative Court’s decision was made in rising political unrest in the nation of North Africa, where opposition parties and civil society organisations are concerned that a rigged election could give President Kais Saied a second term.

In the largest demonstration against constraints on liberties and the undemocratic electoral environment in Tunisia in two years, thousands of Tunisians came to the streets on Friday. Among the shouts screamed by the demonstrators was “Out with dictator Saied.”

Tensions increased after the electoral commission, citing purported flaws in their candidacy forms, rejected the court’s decision earlier this month to restore the candidatures of Abdellaif Mekki, Mondher Znaidi, and Imed Daimi ahead of the contest on October 6.

The president himself appointed the committee’s members, and major parties and civil society organisations claimed that this meant the president was using the inquiry as a weapon against his opponents.

Regarding the charges, commission president Farouk Bouasker has stated that “the commission is the only constitutional body entrusted with the integrity of the election” and refuted them. However, the commission must carry out its mandate and, if needed, revise the election schedule, the court ruled on Saturday. It’s unclear if this entails delaying the election or prolonging the campaign.

“Otherwise it would lead to an illegal situation that conflicts with the electoral law and the transparency of the electoral process”, it said.

Following their filing of a new complaint against the commission’s ruling, the court requested that Znaidi and Mekki be allowed to participate in the race. Daimi, the third contender, hasn’t yet submitted a second appeal.

After winning a democratic election in 2019, Saied strengthened his hold on power and started governing by decree in 2021—a move that the opposition has called a coup.

Politics

Under their new coalition, Mali, Burkina, Niger to launch biometric passports

Published

6 hours ago

September 16, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

As part of their departure from the West African bloc in favour of a new Sahel alliance, military authorities in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger will implement new biometric passports, the countries’ leaders announced on Sunday.

Together, the three Sahelian neighbours run by juntas declared in January that they would be exiting the 15-member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), despite efforts by the organisation to convince them otherwise.

In July, the three West African nations signed a confederation treaty demonstrating their will to forge on together outside of the regional political and economic bloc that has been pressuring them to revert to democratic governance.

Earlier this month, Burkina Faso declared that it will no longer be issuing passports with the ECOWAS emblem.

“In the coming days, a new biometric passport of the AES (Alliance of Sahel States) will be put into circulation with the aim of harmonising travel documents in our common area and facilitating the mobility of our citizens throughout the world”, Malian junta leader Assimi Goita announced on Sunday evening.

On the eve of the decision to form their alliance, the foreign ministers of the three nations will meet on Monday. He made this statement beforehand.

In addition, Goita announced that they intended to open a common information channel “to foster a peaceful exchange of information among our three states.”

Meanwhile, ECOWAS had warned that the 400 million residents of the 49-year-old bloc would lose their freedom of movement and access to the common market if the three countries were to exit,

Their withdrawal coincides with their troops fighting militants associated with the Islamic State and al Qaeda, whose insurgencies have caused instability in the area for the previous ten years and pose a threat to those bordering West Africa.