Dangote refinery faces old pipes, empty promises
Nigeria’s petroleum depot association has called the 650,000 barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery a milestone in reducing foreign fuel dependence but cautioned that outdated systems could limit its effectiveness. Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka, who chairs the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, delivered the warning through representative Ngozi Ekeoma at the OTL Africa Downstream Week 2025 conference while discussing trade obstacles and structural deficiencies.
The chairperson pointed to pipeline networks exceeding four decades in age that suffer from sabotage and inadequate upkeep, forcing marketers to rely on truck transportation that raises expenses and delays deliveries. Port congestion, limited water depths and complicated customs protocols further impede efficient product movement. Adedoyin-Adeyinka urged authorities to modernize port technology and streamline border procedures while deploying the Petroleum Industry Act’s Midstream and Downstream Gas Infrastructure Fund to address logistical shortcomings. She recommended establishing a task force within the regulatory agency to accelerate projects and coordinate tariff structures.
While acknowledging that emerging private refineries signal progress toward self-reliance, the association leader stressed that distribution networks linking production sites to interior depots require immediate investment. She advocated for regional coordination through ECOWAS and AfCFTA standards plus financial incentives such as infrastructure tax benefits to strengthen domestic operators and position Nigeria as a continental energy distribution center.
