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Minister of State for Petroleum Resources [Oil] Heineken Lokpobiri has intervened in the ongoing dispute between Dangote Group Chairman and CEO, Aliko Dangote and regulatory authorities in the oil and gas sector over issues surrounding the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant.
Dangote and Nigeria’s oil industry regulatory authorities such as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) have been at loggerheads in recent weeks over the 650,000 barrel per day refinery located in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
The situation escalated on July 18, when Farouk Ahmed, chief executive of NMDPRA, said local refineries, including the Dangote refinery, were producing inferior quality products compared to those imported into the country.
The oil regulator also accused Dangote of planning to monopolise the sector.
Dangote, while chairing a House of Representatives meeting on the $20 billion refinery over the weekend, denied both claims.
READ ALSO: Dangote refinery insists IOC thwarted crude oil purchases
Facing the ongoing dispute, Lokpobiri on Monday held a high-level meeting with Dangote and relevant stakeholders on various issues surrounding the Dangote Refinery.
“I held a high-level meeting with top executives from the Dangote Group, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to discuss the ongoing issues surrounding the Dangote Refinery.
The meeting, according to the minister, “was a collaborative effort to find sustainable solutions to the challenges affecting the refinery. All parties involved demonstrated strong commitment to proactively resolving the issues and expressed gratitude for the leadership and timely interventions provided.”
“I emphasize the importance of cooperation and synergy among all stakeholders to ensure the success and optimal performance of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which is critical to the country’s economic growth and energy security,” the minister said in a statement posted on his X platform on Monday night.
By: Babajide Okeowo
Oil Minister Lokpobiri involved in row between Dangote, governing body and IOC first appeared on Latest Nigeria News | Headlines from Ripples Nigeria.
