A few days after Alhaji Aliko Dangote, founder of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, alleged that some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) have blending plants in Malta, it has emerged that Nigeria imported fuel worth $2.25 billion from Malta over nine years.
Data from Trade Map reveals that Nigeria imported petroleum oils derived from bituminous minerals worth $2.8 billion in 2023, marking a 342 percent increase from $47.5 million in 2013. Nigeria’s fuel imports from Malta were $59.98 million in 2014, $117.01 million in 2015, and $13.32 million in 2016. There were no imports from Malta from 2017 to 2022, but in 2023, imports surged to $2.08 billion.
Some Nigerians believe Dangote might be correct about NNPC personnel owning blending plants in Malta. Amidst the controversy surrounding his $20 billion refinery, Dangote stated, “Some of the terminals, some of the NNPC people, and some traders have opened blending plants somewhere off Malta. We all know these areas. We know what they are doing.”
However, Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, denied owning any blending plant outside Nigeria. Kyari said he had received numerous inquiries from family and friends regarding the allegations. He clarified that he does not own or operate any business directly or indirectly anywhere in the world, except for a local mini-agric venture. Kyari also stated he is unaware of any NNPC employee owning or operating a blending plant in Malta or elsewhere.
“I have been inundated with inquiries from family members, friends, and associates about the public declaration by the President of Dangote Group that some NNPC workers have established a blending plant in Malta, thereby impeding procurements from local production of petroleum products,” Kyari said.
“To clarify, I do not own or operate any business directly or by proxy anywhere in the world except for a local mini-agric venture, neither am I aware of any NNPC employee that owns or operates a blending plant in Malta or anywhere else.”
Dangote has been vocal following allegations by the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, who claimed that diesel produced by the Dangote refinery had higher sulphur content than imported diesel. Dangote described this claim as an attempt to undermine his refinery. Ahmed had also mentioned that Nigeria would continue to import fuel to prevent a Dangote monopoly.
(Punch)