Dangote refinery is in talks with Libya to secure crude for the 650,000 barrels per day plant and will also seek Angolan oil, a Senior Executive, Devakumar Edwin, said at the weekend, as it seeks to overcome problems with domestic supplies.
The $20 billion refinery, built by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, on the outskirts of Lagos, is Africa’s largest, and is designed to end Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuels because of insufficient refining capacity.
Since Dangote began operations in January, it has been unable to get adequate crude supplies in Nigeria, which, although Africa’s biggest oil producer, is struggling with theft, pipeline vandalism and low investment.
Dangote has resorted to importing crude from as far as Brazil and the United States and is now looking to other African countries to source for products, Reuters reported.
“We are talking to Libya about importing crude,” Dangote refinery, Edwin, told Reuters at the weekend. “We will talk to Angola as well and some other countries in Africa,” he added.
He declined to give details about the talks but said international traders and oil companies were among the biggest buyers of Dangote’s gasoil, much of which was being exported.
