The African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) has congratulated business tycoon Aliko Dangote and the Dangote Group for the successful commissioning of the world-class 650,000 barrels per day refinery and petrochemicals facility in Lagos.
In a statement, ARDA President and Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority of Ghana, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid said while the Association continues to work alongside the African Union Commission (AUC) to harmonize fuel specifications across Africa, the Dangote Refinery was designed to produce cleaner AFRI-6 (10 ppm sulphur) fuels from the onset.
Abdul-Hamid said the refinery was a game-changer for Africa’s clean fuels journey as its start-up will reduce import of high-sulphur fuels into the continent while meeting climate commitments and reducing public health challenges.
According to him, “This strategic move by the Alhaji Dangote and the Dangote Group will also assure Africa’s energy security even as the continent’s growing energy needs are met in a sustainable manner while reducing foreign exchange expended on petroleum products imports, providing employment and promoting a strong market for African crude oil on the continent amidst the global push away from fossil fuels”.
ARDA Executive Secretary and former NNPC COO Refining & Petrochemicals, Anibor Kragha also commended Dangote, saying the refinery had highlighted the viability of large-scale Downstream industry investments that are fundamental for Africa to refine its own crude oil and create a robust, intra-African energy market amidst the global geopolitics and energy transition concerns.
Kragha said successful investments like the Dangote Refinery would positively impact the petroleum products supply chain dynamics of various African countries and will be critical for the continent to develop and implement a unique, integrated, sustainable African Downstream Energy Transition Roadmap that will prioritize cleaner, low-sulphur fuels and carbon emissions reduction efforts in the near-term and mature, cost-effective renewable energy solutions later.
