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Nigeria investigates fuel imports after Dangote Refinery rift with regulator

Nigerian legislators on Monday established a committee to examine unrefined shortages to local refineries and importation of dirty fuels, concerns at the heart of a rift between the Dangote Refinery and Nigeria's downnstream oil regulator.

The committee constituted by Nigeria's lower parliament will investigate alleged importation of dirtier fuels, operations of requirements companies, why refineries including Dangote Refinery are unable to get sufficient unrefined materials and increasing fuel lines.

Our examination will proceed in phases starting with the accusation of production and importation of sub requirement petroleum products and unavailability of petroleum to domestic refineries, stated Ikenga Ugochinyere, a co-char of the committee.

The findings of the investigative panel, which does not have the power to act upon them, will exist to parliament from which recommendations would be made to the president.

The $20 billion Dangote Oil refinery, developed by Africa's. wealthiest guy Aliko Dangote on the outskirts of Lagos, began. operations in January but has been unable to get sufficient crude. materials from Nigeria where vandalism, sabotage and low. financial investments hinder production.

Last month, the Dangote Refinery said oil majors were. obstructing its access to locally produced crude and the regulator. was allowing fuel traders import high-sulphur gasoil therefore. undermining its refinery.

In action, the head of the Nigeria Midstream and. Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the. downstream regulator, said the Dangote Refinery was 45%. finished for this reason unable to satisfy the country's needs. He likewise said. gasoil processed by the refinery is in between 650 to 1200 parts. per countless sulphur, therefore inferior to imported products.

Nigerian regulation permits the sulphur material in gasoil. to be about 50 ppm and is set to start implementing the requirements. from next year.

When some legislators checked out the plant on Saturday, Africa's. richest man, Aliko Dangote demanded a test of the gasoil from. his plant with others sold in the regional market. The outcome. revealed that Dangote Refinery's diesel had a sulphur material of. 87.6 ppm, whereas the other two samples showed sulphur levels. exceeding 1800 ppm and 2,000 ppm, respectively. Dangote revealed he was no longer proceeding with an. investment into steel production in Nigeria due to claims. that he looking for to be a monopoly.

The investigative panel stated it will carry out a forensic. audit of the whole sector.

The committee is advising stakeholders in the present conflict. to deescalate tensions as the committee starts the excellent. job of solving the problem, Ugochinyere said.

(source: Reuters)