From Rotimi Asher, Lagos
Africa’s largest oil refinery, Dangote Refinery, has started exporting its first jet fuel cargo to Europe.
This feat represents another pioneering step for the $20 billion facility, which has been quickly increasing production since it began operations in April 2023.
The first shipment, loaded onto the vessel “Doric Breeze”, left the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos on May 27 and is now on its way to Rotterdam, Netherlands, as per data from S&P Global Commodities at Sea.
The shipment includes 45,000 metric tonnes of jet fuel, which was allocated to BP as part of a tender for 120,000 metric tonnes issued by the refinery.
Spanish refiner, Cepsa, also won part of this tender and is anticipated to deliver jet fuel to the continent shortly.
The recent shipment of jet fuel to Europe is one of several accomplishments in recent months. To date, Dangote has exported six cargoes of jet fuel/kerosene, all of which were delivered to Senegal, Togo, or Ghana.
S&P reports that the company is projecting the commencement of its first petrol supplies this month, with ultra-low sulphur diesel anticipated to qualify for export to Europe by the third quarter.
So far, Dangote has shipped naphtha, fuel oil, and gasoil to markets across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
In a recent statement in May, the CEO of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote said the refinery will supply its refined products such as petrol, diesel and aviation fuel not only to the Nigerian market but also export to other African countries once the refinery reaches full operation.
Africa’s richest man said that the refinery will have sufficient supplies of gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel to meet the needs of the African continent and also to export to Brazil.
“We started producing jet fuel, we are producing diesel, by next month, we’ll be producing gasoline. What that will do, is it will be able to take most African crudes.
“Our capacity is too big for Nigeria. It will be able to supply West Africa, Central Africa and also Southern Africa”, Dangote said.
According to him, the next phase of the refinery will start early next year.
The Dangote refinery was completed by Africa’s wealthiest individual, Aliko Dangote, with an investment of $20 billion.
The refinery, with a processing potential of 650,000 barrels per day, is the biggest in both Africa and Europe upon achieving full operational status, which is expected either this year or next.
The Dangote refinery is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Nigeria, despite being the most populous country in Africa and its top oil producer, ironically imports almost all of its fuel.
Primarily, this is attributed to the nation’s lack of sufficient refining infrastructure, a gap that the new refinery seeks to fill.
The refinery began operation last month as it sold its first batch of aviation jet fuel and diesel to local marketers in the country.
