Atiku Abubakar, who was once Nigeria’s Vice President, has expressed concerns regarding the ongoing dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) over the supply of crude oil to the refinery. He advised the federal government to handle the situation carefully to ensure the refinery’s success.
In several posts on his X account (formerly known as Twitter), Atiku emphasized the importance of the refinery project and urged the government to prioritize its progress. He likened the situation to parents eagerly awaiting the birth of a child, saying that just as they would take all necessary steps to nurture the child, so too should the government ensure that this significant project is not hindered.
He expressed concern over any intentional actions that might slow down the progress of the Dangote Refinery, stressing that this private sector initiative is crucial for meeting the country’s energy needs and stabilizing the economy. Atiku called on all Nigerians to stand firm and make sure that no forces, either from within the country or outside, are working against the success of the refinery.
The disagreement between the Dangote Refinery and the NUPRC escalated on Friday when the Dangote Group accused the commission of not fulfilling its obligations to supply the refinery with domestic crude oil. In response, the NUPRC claimed that it had facilitated the delivery of over 29 million barrels of crude oil to Dangote between January and June 2024. However, the Dangote Refinery denied receiving this amount of crude oil.
This conflict has raised concerns about the potential impact on the refinery’s operations and the broader implications for Nigeria’s energy sector.
