Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, took a comprehensive tour through the Dangote Refinery over the weekend in Lagos, it was disclosed that the Dangote Industries Group fertilizer plant would be ready for operations in May 2019.
The Group revealed that plans are also in place to start selling petrol, diesel and aviation fuel by early 2020 on completion of the huge refinery being constructed in Lekki.
Commending the Group for its commitment towards bringing the project on stream as planned, Emefiele expressed satisfaction with the facilities on site, adding that the fertilizer plant which is now fully completed would become operational before the end of May 2019.
Emefiele who was accompanied on a tour of the facility by the Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability, CBN, Mrs. Aisha Ahmad; President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; top officials of the company, as well as project engineers noted that the fertilizer plant, which has been completed and due for inauguration in April, is twice the size of Eleme Petrochemical.
He also said when the refinery takes off in the first quarter of 2020, Nigeria would not only be self-sufficient in the production of refined petroleum products but would join the league of countries that export petroleum products to other countries.
Emefiele said, “You all will attest to the fact that this is certainly a transformational project for Nigeria, and it totally keyed into the objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari that says that we need to think about how to conserve foreign exchange and diversify the economy. Emefiele assured that Nigeria will not only be self-sufficient in the production of refined petroleum products but will also join the league of countries exporting petroleum products out of the country, once the refinery becomes operational by the first quarter of 2020.
