{"id":2272,"date":"2025-08-10T11:46:54","date_gmt":"2025-08-10T11:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/?p=2272"},"modified":"2025-08-10T11:47:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-10T11:47:04","slug":"how-dangote-refinery-will-affect-nigerias-fuel-import-from-belgium-ambassador","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/how-dangote-refinery-will-affect-nigerias-fuel-import-from-belgium-ambassador\/","title":{"rendered":"How Dangote Refinery will affect Nigeria\u2019s fuel import from Belgium \u2013 Ambassador"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Dangote refinery<\/strong>\u2018s operations will significantly affect the importation of refined petroleum products from Belgium into Nigeria and the short-term overall trade volume between both countries, the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, has said.<\/p>\n<p>Before the operations of Dangote refinery, Nigeria, a major oil producer, imported virtually all of its petroleum products, with a significant amount of it coming from Belgium.<\/p>\n<p>However, the refinery, which began operations last year, says it can produce enough petrol for local consumption.<\/p>\n<p>In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Leenknegt said the growth in Nigeria\u2019s refining capacity is expected to reduce importation of refined petroleum from Belgium significantly.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"How Dangote Refinery will affect Nigeria&#039;s fuel import from Belgium - Ambassador\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VRpsCu7dnbw?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>He described this as \u201cthe Dangote Refinery effect,\u201d while stating that a major dip in Belgium\u2019s refined oil trade with Nigeria, where the country has long been a key supplier, is much anticipated.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>He said he expects the operations of the Dangote refinery to begin reflecting in the trade data between Nigeria and Belgium by the end of 2025.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClearly, this (Dangote refinery operations) is not going to be without any consequences for our bilateral trade in the short run,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>While trade volumes between Nigeria and Belgium in 2024 show a slight dip, the ambassador attributed that trend not to the Dangote Refinery but to Nigerians\u2019 shrinking purchasing power.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou saw a dip generally in exports from Belgium to Nigeria, and even from some imports from Nigeria to Belgium,\u201d he noted. \u201cBut that\u2019s not the Dangote refinery effect. It\u2019s the purchasing power dip effect in Nigeria, which makes Nigerians have fewer dollars and euros to spend on purchasing goods abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Acknowledging Belgium\u2019s dominance in refined petroleum exports to Nigeria, the diplomat said, \u201cWe are the top importing European country into Nigeria and, most of it being refined oil.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>About 40 per cent of Nigeria\u2019s imports from Europe passes through Belgium, most of it being refined petroleum products. Belgium is also a key supplier of chemicals, medical equipment, and industrial goods to Nigeria.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_812757\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-812757\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-812757 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/media.premiumtimesng.com\/wp-content\/files\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.jpg?resize=526%2C526&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt (PHOTO CREDIT: Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria on Facebook)\" width=\"526\" height=\"526\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" data-pin-no-hover=\"true\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-812757\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em><strong>The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt (PHOTO CREDIT: Embassy of Belgium in Nigeria on Facebook)<\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><strong>Dangote Refinery Petroleum production<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the world\u2019s largest single-train refinery,\u00a0<strong>began<\/strong>\u00a0production of diesel and aviation fuel in January 2024, but began processing petrol in September 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The refinery\u2019s operations have led to a significant reduction in petroleum product importation into Nigeria and have led to considerable savings in foreign exchange. The Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reports that Nigeria spent $1.2 billion on petrol imports in the first quarter of 2025, down from $2.6 billion in the same period last year.<\/p>\n<p>In June, the refinery announced that it had commenced distribution of petrol and diesel to marketers, petrol dealers, manufacturers, telecoms firms, aviation, and other large users across the country.<\/p>\n<p>Within the last three months, the Dangote refinery has reduced oil prices twice to reflect the global market price. First in June, from N880 per litre to N840 per litre and then down to N8320 per litre in July.<\/p>\n<p>Before the establishment of the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria heavily relied on imports for refined oil, even though it is the leading crude oil producer in Africa.<\/p>\n<p>Mr Leenknegt described Nigeria\u2019s heavy dependence on refined petroleum as illogical.<\/p>\n<div class=\"code-block code-block-5\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"20028x728x90x3423x_ADSLOT3\">\n<div class=\"pxft-info-container\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"20028x728x90x3423x_ADSLOT3_google\"><\/div>\n<p><iframe id=\"20028x728x90x3423x_ADSLOT3_iframe\" width=\"728\" height=\"90\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"gpt-passback\" data-google-query-id=\"CO72r7uUgI8DFRGW_QcdargKLg\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/138871148,115843047\/premiumtimesng.com.mw.300x250_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s also not very logical for petroleum to be first shipped from Nigeria to Europe, then to be shipped back, refined in Europe to Nigeria. There\u2019s no sound logic for that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom the moment Nigeria is able to produce as good a product in terms of refined petroleum as Belgium does, then of course, who would Belgium be to oppose that?\u201d He stated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, it\u2019s also a matter of common sense that our trade in the future will be more about other products, and an interesting development in that regard is also if you look in the other direction,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dangote refinery\u2018s operations will significantly affect the importation of refined petroleum products from Belgium into&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2273,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,31,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2272","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","category-nigeria","category-oil-and-gas"],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n-150x150.webp",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n-300x300.webp",300,300,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"large":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"wpucv-grid-three":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",240,240,false],"wpucv-grid-two":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",400,400,false],"wpucv-grid-one":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"wpucv-classic":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",170,170,false],"wpucv-classic-small":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",110,110,false],"wpucv-galary":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",400,400,false],"covernews-slider-full":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"covernews-slider-center":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n-526x500.webp",526,500,true],"covernews-featured":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n.webp",526,526,false],"covernews-medium":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n-526x340.webp",526,340,true],"covernews-medium-square":["https:\/\/eandelmagazine.com\/eandelmagazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/485060226_646156378155860_3725186510143334309_n-400x250.webp",400,250,true]},"author_info":{"info":["Editor 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