Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has denied that petroleum products from his refinery are inferior.
Dangote denied the charges on Saturday, when the House of Representatives leadership visited and inspected the refinery in Lagos’ Lekki Free Trade Zone.
Reps Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and his deputy Benjamin Kalu headed the delegation from the House, which comprised Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere.
To support his claim, Dangote and his crew tested diesel purchased from two filling stations as well as diesel produced by his refinery at the company’s laboratories.
The parliamentarians witnessed the purchase of tested diesel from other stations, as well as the withdrawal of output from the Dangote Refinery.
Two tests were carried out: sulphur level and flash test. While all crude-based products include some sulphur, high sulphur levels can damage engines and vehicle components.
The flash point is the lowest temperature at which the application of an ignition source causes the vapours above the liquid to ignite, with the minimum predicted flash point being 66.
The results showed that the sulphur content in the diesel from other stations was over 2,631 and 1,829, which was much higher than the allowed amount, while the flash point tests yielded readings of 26 and 63 for the diesel from other stations. Both scores fell short of the acceptable minimum of 66.
Dangote’s fuel tested at 87.6 ppm of sulphur and had 96 flashpoints.
According to Dangote, the results not only demonstrate the truth of his refinery’s goods, but also indicate substandard petroleum products are being imported into the country and sold to naive Nigerians.