At least 300 trucks belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) are currently stationed at the Dangote refinery in preparation for the scheduled petrol loading on Sunday.
NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye confirmed this development in a video posted on his X handle on Saturday. By the afternoon, Soneye reported that over 100 trucks had already been deployed, with many more on their way.
The Presidential Committee on the Sale of Crude Oil and Refined Products announced that the loading of the first batch of petrol from the Dangote Refinery would commence on Sunday, September 15.
Zacch Adedeji, a committee member and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), made this announcement in Abuja on Friday.
During a briefing, Adedeji revealed that starting October 1, NNPCL will begin supplying approximately 385,000 barrels per day (kbpd) of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery, with payments to be made in Naira.
“I am pleased to announce that all agreements are finalized, and the loading of the first batch of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from the Dangote Refinery will start on September 15,” Adedeji stated.
He elaborated that in exchange, the Dangote Refinery will supply PMS and diesel of equivalent value to the domestic market, also to be paid for in Naira. Diesel will be available for sale in Naira to any interested off-taker, while PMS will be sold exclusively to NNPC, which will then distribute it to various marketers. All associated regulatory costs will also be settled in Naira.
This agreement aims to alleviate the current severe petrol shortage across the country and potentially reduce the recently inflated prices.