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Africa’s largest oil refinery has been opened in Nigeria, the place it’s hoped it should alleviate power gasoline shortages.
Nigeria is a significant oil producer however most of that is despatched overseas whereas it has to import the refined gasoline utilized in automobiles and elsewhere.
In consequence the nation usually faces power gasoline shortages.
That is the issue that the $19bn (£15.2bn) refinery, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is meant to sort out.
“This can be a game-changer for the Nigerian individuals,” mentioned President Muhammadu Buhari.
The plant, which isn’t but operational, has the capability to provide about 650,000 barrels of petroleum merchandise a day – greater than sufficient to provide the nation’s wants. It additionally features a energy station, deep seaport and fertiliser plant.
Nigeria’s current refineries have been fully shut down for over three years owing to grease theft, pipeline vandalism and structural neglect.
If it really works as deliberate, the plant might make an actual change to the lives of Nigerians: “Each time there’s gasoline shortage, I do not open my store as a result of there is no gentle [electricity] to work and I am unable to purchase gasoline for my generator,” a younger hairdresser from Lagos informed the BBC.
At Monday’s launch, Mr Dangote outlined his hopes for the refinery: “Our first purpose is to ramp up manufacturing of the varied merchandise to make sure that inside this 12 months, we’re in a position to totally fulfill the nation’s demand for high quality merchandise.”
Nevertheless, it’s not clear what impression the plant could have on the value of gasoline in a rustic the place retail costs are subsidised. The federal government says these subsidies will quickly be eliminated – final 12 months they took up at the very least 1 / 4 of the nationwide funds.
Mr Dangote’s plant in Lagos, which took practically seven years to construct, is alleged to be the world’s largest single-train refinery, which means the plant has one built-in distillery system which might produce a wide range of merchandise and petrochemicals, as a substitute of getting totally different items for every kind of product.
It is among the final main tasks to be inaugurated by President Buhari, who steps down subsequent week after serving two phrases in workplace.
President Buhari will hand energy to Bola Tinubu, who received disputed presidential elections in February.
Oil and gasoline professional Henry Adigun informed the BBC that Monday’s launch was “extra political than technical”.
Supply: BBC
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