Nigeria’s 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote refinery is expected to begin gasoline production in mid-September, according to IIR Energy. The $20 billion refinery, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is currently undergoing test runs in preparation for gasoline production. The refinery, located on the outskirts of Lagos, started operations in January following years of delays. It began with the production of diesel and other distillates, with plans to start gasoline production in May. That plan did not materialize and the refinery announced that gasoline production would commence in July. Once fully operational, the refinery could significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined products and disrupt the Europe-to-Africa fuel trade. Despite its estimation that production will begin in September, the IIR warns that there may still be further delays.
SOURCE: REUTERS
