Dangote Refinery Will End Aviation Fuel Scarcity – Sirika

Dangote Refinery Will End Aviation Fuel Scarcity – Sirika
Hadi Sirika
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Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, has claimed that the scarcity of jet A1 and its high cost will become history in the country once the Dangote and Port Harcourt refineries begin operation.

According to him, the issues surrounding aviation fuel can only get sustainable solutions after these refineries come online. He disclosed this while addressing State House correspondents on Tuesday.

He said, ‘The scarcity and high cost of Jet A1 in civil aviation, is not peculiar to Nigeria. It is a global phenomenon driven by many factors. Some of them include even low capacity to refine the product.

“It is also in high demand around the world, it has increased activity and increased the number of airplanes out there and users of this jet A1. Plus, also the Ukraine crisis and many more.

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He went on to add; ‘It is a time when crude itself is so expensive today, it is in the hundreds of dollars per barrel and only the high cost of Jet A1 product in Nigeria. Also, the peculiarity of the fact that we’re not refining the product, so to speak.

‘And I did address the press a couple of days ago, saying that, by the grace of God, perhaps once the Dangote refinery is online or if the government fixes the Port Harcourt refinery, which is now ongoing, we will begin to refine this product and sell it.’

According to him, local airlines under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria have agreed to nominate a member or another major oil marketer to be allowed to import the product to manage the situation.

Sirika added, ‘Then also get the necessary foreign exchange for that purpose. And that will increase more supply and perhaps drive down the cost. We hope that this is a temporary thing, and hope that Jet A1 will be very available everywhere and at a very good price.”

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari have declared that more investments would be deployed to the provision of infrastructure and facilities for safe, secure, environmentally friendly, and sustainable civil aviation.

He said this when he received the Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, Mr Juan Salazar, at the State House, Abuja on Tuesday.

A statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as saying that Nigeria would support the ideals and aspirations of ICAO and achievement of its strategic objectives, in collaboration with the other Member States of the Organisation.

Africa Daily News, New York

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