Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has explained why the initial sample of Premium Motor Spirit (commonly known as petrol) from his refinery appears clearer than the petrol currently available on the market.

During a broadcast at his refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, the president of the Dangote Group emphasised that clearer petrol is more environmentally friendly and could mitigate health issues linked to polluted petroleum products.

He pointed out that this new petrol would also safeguard engines from damage caused by the typically unclear petrol found in the market.

“This is the sample of the petrol. You see it as a different colour, but that is the real deal. You are now going to have a good and genuine product,” he stated.

Regarding the diesel, Dangote remarked, “I am sure Nigerians have not seen this colour of diesel before. This is called Euro-5 diesel. It contains less than 10 parts per million (PPM) of sulphur. This will help vehicles, engines, and generators last longer.”

He further stressed, “The health of the people and the environment will not be compromised. This is the real deal.”

Before this presentation, the Dangote Group’s management noted that international oil companies insisted on selling crude oil to their refinery through foreign agents.

They argued that local crude prices would continue to rise because trading firms were offering cargoes at $2 to $4 per barrel above the official price set by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission.

The group also claimed that foreign oil producers seemed to prioritise selling Nigerian-extracted crude oil to Asian countries.

In August, there were reports of a dispute between the Dangote refinery and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission over an alleged supply of 29 million barrels of crude oil to the refinery.

The Dangote Group accused the NUPRC of not effectively enforcing the Domestic Crude Supply Obligations regulations, asserting that the refinery had not received an adequate amount of locally sourced crude oil.

In response, the NUPRC denied these allegations, stating that it had facilitated the delivery of over 29 million barrels of crude oil to Dangote from January to June 2024.

The NUPRC maintained that it has ensured domestic crude oil supplies to the Dangote refinery and other refineries through its monthly production curtailment platform.