Nigeria’s giant Dangote oil refinery is set for commissioning on May 22, according to an invitation from the company.
President Muhammadu Buhari, who leaves office a week later after serving two four-year terms, will perform the ceremony, Lagos-based Thisday newspaper reported Sunday.
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The refinery, built by Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote, will have capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude a day when fully operational. The $20.5 billion project is located near the commercial hub of Lagos, and will feature the world’s biggest single-train crude processing plant. Construction has taken several years, with the scheduled completion date put back several times.
The refinery will end a situation that has seen Africa’s biggest crude producer relying on imports to meet its fuel needs. The nation imports almost of its refined products, following the shut-down of dilapdated state-owned refineries. The Dangote facility has been designed to process crude varieties from sweet to light sourced both locally and from abroad; it will be able to meet the country’s domestic demand and still have enough for exports.
Dangote plans to export diesel to Europe and gasoline to Latin America, Western and Central African markets, the company has said.
Source: BLOOMBERG