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Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has alleged that some Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited staff members and oil traders operate a blending plant in Malta, an island nation in Europe.
Dangote made these revelations over the weekend during a meeting with the louse of Representatives, leadership led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu.
Dangote emphasised that the Dangote Refinery products are far better quality than the imported ones.
"The bad fuel imported into the country has damaged many cars. I still stand by what I said. Go to filling stations, you can check the quality. That is the only way," he stated.
He further claimed, "We know where they blend these things. Some of the NNPC people and some traders have opened a blending plant somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are doing."
Nigeria's oil industry crisis
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, faces significant energy challenges, with all its state-owned refineries currently non-operational.
The country relies heavily on imported refined petroleum products, with the state-run NNPC being the major importer.
Fuel queues are common, and the price of petrol has tripled since the removal of subsidies in May 2023, exacerbating the difficulties faced by citizens who rely on petrol for their vehicles and generators amid unreliable electricity supply.
READ ALSO: 'Buy me out' - Dangote dares NNPC, offers to sell $19bn refinery
According to Channels TV, Dangote's $20 billion refinery in Lagos began operations last December with a capacity of 350,000 barrels per day.
The facility aims to reach its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.
While the refinery has started supplying diesel and aviation fuel to marketers, petrol supply is expected to commence in August.
During his meeting with federal lawmakers, Dangote reiterated the importance of transparency and accountability in the oil industry.
He dismissed claims that products from his refinery are substandard and urged the green chamber to investigate the quality of diesel and petrol at filling stations across the country.
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