“Dangote refinery appears set to commence production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of the sixth batch of barrels of crude supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited,” the firm stated in a statement issued on Monday.

It said the fresh one million Agbami barrels of crude via MT ALMI SUN was the last cargo to complete the initial scheduled six million barrels consignment to be delivered to the facility for the commencement of operations.

The world’s largest single-train refinery had a month ago, received the first one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited.

Since then, Dangote refinery had received the crude oil in batches, and the 6th batch of one million barrels of Agbami crude, got discharged on Monday at the Single Point Mooring at the Dangote Offshore Oil Terminal.

The Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Akin Omole, told newsmen at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the refinery was in good stead to commence operation.

“Once the six million barrels are fully delivered, it will facilitate the initial run of the refinery as well as kick-start the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas before subsequently progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit,” Omole said.

This latest development will help alleviate fuel supply challenges in Nigeria and other West African countries.

Designed for 100 per cent Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes, the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and US Light light oil as well as crude from other countries.

The refinery can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s requirement of refined gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and aviation jet, and enough for export.