Asiwaju Dapo Wahab
Asiwaju Dapo Wahab, an Ogun State based businessman and the Treasurer of the Abeokuta Chamber Of Commerce Industry Mine And Agriculture (ABEOCCIMA) has called on feuding Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Dangote Refinery to consider the nation’s interest above their own individual economic pursuits.
In an exclusive chat with THE STATEPOST, the notable business mogul who is also the Chairman of Asiwaju Dapo Wahab Foundation, an NGO championing the fight against drug abuse in our society and a member of the prestigious African Business Council advised both parties to prioritize national interest by placing Nigeria’s economic growth and development above individual concerns.
He advised the duo to sheath their swords but rather seek common ground through collaboration to find mutually beneficial solutions to the raging issues.
Asiwaju Wahab further urged the Federal Government and Dangote Refinery to avoid escalating the matter by turning it to a media war.
He called on both parties to focus on constructive dialogues in resolving the issues in the nation’s overall interests.
Asiwaju Wahab urged for willingness to make concessions from both parties in order to reach a mutually acceptable agreement noting that the ready willingness to compromise on the issues at hand is very essential so that at the end of the debacle, Nigeria will not be the loser.
The treasurer of the Abeokuta Chamber Of Commerce Industry also opined that Dangote Refinery is for now our nation’s largest private investment, hence it is crucial to Nigeria’s energy and economic stability.
He pointed out that if it is discouraged, it may send a wrong signal to foreign investors and this would not augur well for the nation’s economic growth.
Recall that the Dangote Refinery and NMDPRA dispute started in June 2024, when Devakumar Edwin, the Vice President of Dangote Industries Limited accused NMDPRA of granting indiscriminate licenses to oil marketers to import dirty fuel.
The feud heightened few days ago when the CEO of NMDPRA, Ahmed stated that the quality of the 650,000 barrel per day Lagos-based Dangote refinery’s diesel product is inferior compared to imported ones.
Ahmed said Dangote Refinery is “producing between 650 and 1,200 PPM. Therefore, in terms of quality, their products are inferior to imported ones”.
The statement sparked reactions among Nigerians and stakeholders in the country’s oil and gas sector.
The issue had since been generating a lot of debate which had heated up unending arguments as Dangote dismissed Ahmed’s statement, insisting that his Refinery’s products are not substandard.
