On Monday, Dangote Petroleum Refinery marked another milestone by receiving its fourth shipment, consisting of one million barrels of bonny light Crude Oil, supplied by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC). The $20 billion refinery anticipates the arrival of the fifth crude oil shipment in the near future, as mentioned in a statement released by the company.

The refinery has previously welcomed three shipments of crude oil, and officials have informed media correspondents that the facility is poised to commence the production of refined Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and aviation fuel (JetA1) within the current month.

In the official statement issued on Monday, the company highlighted, "The fresh one million barrels of crude was the fourth consignment to be delivered to the Dangote facility out of the six million barrels of crude being expected by the world’s largest single-train refinery."

Akin Omole, the Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, shared insights during an interaction with journalists at the Dangote Quay in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. He affirmed that the refinery is projected to receive approximately four million crude oil shipments before the close of 2023. Additionally, he stated that the remaining two shipments are scheduled for early January 2024, setting the stage for the refinery to initiate production.

Omole clarified that once the complete six million barrels are delivered, the refinery will undergo an initial run, leading to the production of diesel, aviation fuel, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), before progressing to the production of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol).

With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the Dangote Refinery is positioned to meet 100% of Nigeria's refined petroleum product requirements, including petrol, diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel. Furthermore, it boasts a surplus of each product for potential export.

The refinery features a self-sufficient marine facility capable of handling the largest vessels globally, serving as the gateway for crude oil shipments. Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Group, expressed delight after the first consignment of crude, stating, "We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects."

He emphasized the focus on ramping up the refinery to its full capacity in the coming months, anticipating the next significant milestone when the first batch of products is delivered to the Nigerian market