Business
Dangote Refinery Resumes Import Of Oil from the US to Increase Production Capacity
Dangote Refinery has resumed its acquisition of crude oil from the United States, marking a significant shift in its strategy to boost refining capacity and overall production.
In a report by Bloomberg on Wednesday, it was revealed that a cargo of two million barrels of WTI Midland crude, sourced from Chevron Corp., is expected to be delivered to Dangote Refinery next month.
This marks the first purchase of US oil since the refinery paused foreign crude imports.
The move indicates a shift in the refinery’s supply strategy, which had previously been focused on Nigerian crude, particularly as it seeks to ramp up operations.
This new purchase raises questions about the status of the Nigerian government’s Naira-for-crude deal, which was hinted at in early October 2024.
The agreement, aimed at trading crude oil in exchange for the Nigerian naira, has faced uncertainty.
Some experts suggest that the deal might be stalling, or that the refinery might not be receiving the expected crude oil supply from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
Dangote Refinery’s recent decision to purchase crude from Chevron, a major US oil company, comes at a time when the refinery is actively scaling up production capabilities.
The refinery had been under intense scrutiny as it works toward becoming a key player in Nigeria’s oil industry.
While it had been procuring Nigerian oil, this new shipment of WTI Midland crude from the US underscores its reliance on diverse global suppliers to meet its production goals.
In fact, Chevron has reportedly booked the supertanker Azure Nova to transport the crude from the US Gulf, with the shipment scheduled to arrive at Dangote Refinery around December 5.
While the Nigerian government’s Naira-for-crude initiative remains in question, economist Kelvin Emmanuel recently stated that Dangote Refinery still purchases crude from the Nigerian government in dollars, suggesting that the refinery’s operations may not yet fully align with the federal government’s policy on local crude sales.
Bitcoin has fallen below $63,000, reaching its lowest level since October 2024 amid weakening investor confidence and increased volatility in the cryptocurrency market.
According to CoinMarketCap data, Bitcoin dropped 13.9 per cent to $62,965 as of 10:20 p.m. on Thursday. The decline comes after months of downward movement, with the cryptocurrency now more than 45 per cent below its October peak.
Ethereum also recorded a sharp decline, falling 13 per cent to $1,863, while the global cryptocurrency market capitalisation dropped to $2.19 trillion.
Analysts reportedly linked the latest decline to a broader sell-off in US technology stocks, which has also affected other risk assets. Bitcoin had reached an all-time high of more than $125,000 on October 5 before falling sharply in the days that followed, highlighting the continued volatility in the crypto market.
Businessman Aliko Dangote has explained why he believes Nigerians should participate in the ownership of his refinery by purchasing shares.
He was asked by singer Davido why Nigerians should participate, and Dangote explained that the initiative would help spread wealth and prosperity across Africa.
“Well, it’s very important because that is the only way to spread prosperity and wealth throughout Africa. And like I said, this is not going to be the first and the last. We will continue with even our fertilizer. By the time we finish listing, every single one will own part of our businesses and we will create a pool of cash…”
He explained that the goal is to create opportunities for more Nigerians to own a stake in the businesses and help spread wealth across the country.
Aliko Dangote speaks on his lineage and addresses not having a son as he was asked about not having a son to carry his name and achievements.
“That is not my priority because God controls everything. You can pray for God to give you a son, but he might be the one to take down the name of the family.”
Instead, he shared that he does not mind not having a son. “I don’t think a son would have done better than the three daughters I have.”
Aside from that, he was also asked about giving advice to young Nigerians. “Work hard, be consistent, focused and know what you want to do.”
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