Nigeria’s newly constructed Dangote refinery, Lagos is seeking to purchase millions of barrels of US crude oil over the next year as it ramps up processing rates, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

According to the report, the plant has issued a term tender for the purchase of two million barrels a month of West Texas Intermediate Midland crude for 12 months starting in July.

“The plant, built by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, issued a so-called term tender for the purchase of two million barrels a month of West Texas Intermediate Midland crude for 12 months starting in July, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. The tender closes on May 21,” the report stated.

Recall that the 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Petroleum Refinery is taking advantage of cheaper oil imports from the United States for as much as a third of its feedstock as it starts production.

An earlier report by Bloomberg on April 18 stated that the plant has been shipping products in weeks while readying two units to enable gasoline (petrol) output that will deliver a long-promised transformation of the fuel market both in Nigeria and the region. It attributed this to analysts.

“Dangote is going to influence Atlantic Basin gasoline markets this summer and for the rest of the year,” said Alan Gelder, Vice President of Refining, Chemicals, and Oil Markets at the consultancy firm, Wood Mackenzie.

The process for nationwide deployment of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles has commenced. Not less than 530 buses are to be deployed by the end of the month in six pioneering states.

These are Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Kogi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Programme Director of the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) Michael Oluwagbemi stated this yesterday.

It was during the event signaling the commencement of 15-day-long activities ahead of the rollout.

He said the distribution is on a demand-led basis.  He added that efforts would be accelerated at the conversion of diesel and petrol-fuel engines across the country.

According to Oluwagbemi, President Tinubu has directed the PCNGI to ensure the conversion of at least 10 per cent of the total number of vehicles in the country in the first year of the rollout of the initiative.

Today, the team will inspect the Jets and Mikano Factory along with representatives of the Ministry of Labour and workers unions.

Southsouth and Southeast stakeholders engagement will be held tomorrow in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Affiliate conversion and refuelling at the Femadec Site as well as an inspection tour of the Total Energies support station are planned.

Another six-day inspection tour of the Kojo Factory at the Enugu-Onitsha Site will begin on May 24 to receive the first set of assembled tricycles, buses, cylinders and kits ahead of the official launch.

The Luojia Assembly Plant for CNG tricycles on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will be inaugurated on May 30.

“These programmes are a fulfilment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s promise to drive Nigeria’s energy transition in the transportation sector leveraging CNG and enabling economic growth,” Oluwagbemi stated.

He noted the President’s political will to ensure the full utilisation of natural gas which hitherto was being flared.

The Chief Executive of the Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Engr Gbenga Komolafe, has assured prospective investors interested in participating in the country’s oil rounds of a conducive environment to conduct their business.

Komolafe made this assertion at the Miami International Roadshow for the 2024 licensing round, organised by the NUPRC in partnership with the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) and Zetse Advisory & Consulting.

Speaking, Komolafe declared that the marketing of oil blocks has garnered staunch backing from the highest echelons of the government.

Engr. Komolafe, who underscored the role of presidential support in attracting investors to the Nation’s oil sector, said the Licensing Round is part of concerted efforts by Nigerian authorities to revitalise the country’s oil and gas industry and foster increased investment.

According to him, the backing signals a concerted effort to provide a conducive environment for both domestic and foreign investors seeking opportunities in Nigeria’s energy market.

The Miami International Roadshow serves as a crucial platform for showcasing Nigeria’s vast potential in the petroleum sector and fostering partnerships with international stakeholders. By collaborating with stakeholders such as PETAN and Zetse Advisory & Consulting, Komolafe further affirms Nigeria’s commitment to fostering a transparent and investor friendly regulatory environment in its pursuit of energy sector excellence.