Dangote Refinery’s Biggest Benefit: Local Capture Of ‘Malta’ By-Products, According To Kalu Aja

Dangote Refinery’s Biggest Benefit: Local Capture Of ‘Malta’ By-Products, According To Kalu Aja

Kalu Aja, a financial analyst and educator, says the real benefit Dangote Refinery brings is that associated by-products Nigeria left in ‘Malta’ will now be captured locally.

Aja described Dangote Refinery as the biggest game changer in Nigeria since the emergence of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG.

In a post on his X handle on Wednesday, the financial expert noted that while Dangote Refinery saves the country the transportation associated cost previously paid in dollars to bring crude to Nigeria, insurance, interest and other costs still remain.

Speaking further, Aja said Nigerians shouldn’t expect the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, bill to substantially drop unless the government subsidizes crude oil and dollar exchange rate.

The post read: “The Process of getting PMS from Crude.

“Extract crude oil, Transport crude oil to refinery, Refine to PMS and others byproducts, Take PMS from refinery, and Market.

“Step 1 to 5 are same if the refinery is in Lagos State or Malta.

“Dangote Refinery will save $ cash , yes but where?

“Crude oil extraction? No, same cost wherever its refined, crude oil is priced in $ not Naira. If Dangote pays Naira, Nigeria loses $ revenue. This is the highest cost.

“Take Crude to Refinery? Yes, Instead of taking crude to “Malta”, it will be taken to Lagos.

“Refine? same cost, if refinery is in Lagos or “Malta”.

“Take PMS from refinery? Yes instead of transferring from “Malta”, its from Lagos. still a cost, but lower.

“Market? no same cost where ever its refined.

“Thus what Dangote Refinery saves is the Transportation associated cost, previously paid in $ to bring crude from “Malta” to Lagos.

“Nigeria still pays for insurance, interest etc. These are still related costs. Or are the ships insured locally or produced locally?

“When you say Dangote Refinery reduces $ demand, i agree but not to the extent you claim. Remember Dangote is paying in Naira meaning its a net off of FX loss from Naira purchase and lower demand for FX.

“The real benefit Dangote Refinery brings is that those associated byproducts that we left in ‘Malta” will now be captured by Dangote locally. Thus Nigeria will earn MORE by exporting those byproducts, so net net, the Dangote Refinery earns Nigeria more FX.

“The Dangote Refinery is the biggest game changer in Nigeria since NLNG, but your PMS bill will not substantially drop, unless the Federation subsidizes crude oil and $ exchange rate.”