The Dangote refinery has announced that its plan to release premium motor spirit (PMS) into the market this month will be delayed, causing mixed reactions among Nigerians. During a tour of the facility with Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday, Dangote Group President Aliko Dangote stated that petrol from the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery would now be available in July due to minor challenges.

“We had a bit of delay, but PMS will start coming out by July 10 to 15. However, we want to keep it in the tank to make sure that it settles. So, by the third week of July, we’ll be able to introduce it into the market,” Dangote explained.

The announcement has elicited varied responses from the public, with some expressing understanding and others frustration.

On Facebook, Anthony Ihenyen commented on the difficulty of managing such a significant investment: “You are trying, sir, and it will fly. We need more people like you to do more here in Nigeria, not abroad. Nobody is a saint.”

Conversely, Emmanuel Ose voiced his concerns: “Anything that will make an average Nigerian happy is always a problem to get in Nigeria.”

Adeola Orukotan criticized the early announcement of the refinery’s readiness: “When you know your refinery isn’t ready, why rush to declare it open? Now it’s over one year with story upon story.”

On Twitter, user @ajagunsegun expressed skepticism: “Nigerians were told that the Dangote refinery was due for operation when it was commissioned by Buhari in May 2023, but up until now, we’re still waiting. Dangote has the right to run his private business however he wishes. But what about the four Nigerian refineries? When President Tinubu came into power, he promised that the Port Harcourt refinery would begin operation by December last year. This is June 2024, and we’re still waiting. Sincerely, there’s no way you’ll reside in Nigeria without developing the tendency to lie. There are too many lies and government propaganda everywhere.”

Michael Chibuzo offered a more technical perspective: “A refinery is not a ‘barbecue business.’ It is complex. You have to pass a lot of tests and carry out many test runs. Commercial production is always the last stage of the entire process. Let’s be patient.”

Another user, @Selomsarl, thanked Dangote for the update and asked pertinent questions about the refinery’s impact on fuel scarcity, pricing, and distribution: “Thank you for the update, Mr. Dangote. We appreciate your commitment to ensuring the quality of the petrol before releasing it into the market. Your dedication to producing high-quality products is commendable. How will the new refinery’s production affect the current fuel scarcity in the country? Will the petrol produced by the refinery be subsidized, or will it be sold at the current market price? How will the distribution of the petrol be handled to ensure it reaches all states and regions equally?”

Last month, Dangote announced that the refinery would begin selling PMS in June, aiming to end Nigeria’s petrol importation. Speaking at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda, Dangote expressed optimism about transforming Africa’s energy landscape.

“Right now, Nigeria has no cause to import anything apart from gasoline, and by sometime in June, within the next four or five weeks, Nigeria shouldn’t import anything like gasoline; not one drop of a litre,” he declared. “We have enough gasoline to give to at least the entire West Africa, diesel to give to West Africa and Central Africa. We have enough aviation fuel to give to the entire continent and also export some to Brazil and Mexico. We have started producing jet fuel, we are producing diesel, and by next month, we’ll be producing gasoline. What that will do, it will be able to take most African crude,” Dangote told the panel.

Dangote’s statements have raised hopes among marketers and Nigerians that the refinery will reduce petrol prices from around N700 to N500 or below. The delay, however, means that Nigerians will have to wait a little longer to see these potential benefits materialize.