Keyamo: Local airlines have promised to buy jet fuel from only Dangote refinery

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, says local airlines have promised to buy jet fuel from only Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm programme aired on Tuesday, Keyamo said the decision coincides with the refinery’s commencement of jet fuel production for the local market.

He said the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) have collectively agreed to stop relying on imported jet fuel in a move aimed at supporting domestic production.

“Incidentally, it is also coinciding at a point when Dangote refinery is coming on board and jet A1 is to be produced. They are about to start producing jet A1 for our local industry,” Keyamo said.

“The airline operators of Nigeria recently just met and they have made a clear decision, all of them, they will no longer buy imported fuel to also support the local industry, Dangote refinery.

“It is a decision by the airline operators of Nigeria, with my push and my blessing, that they should only buy from Dangote refinery.”

On January 12, the Dangote refinery announced it has commenced production of diesel and aviation fuel.

The development comes days after the refinery received its sixth one million barrels of crude cargo required for the commencement of operations.

Five months later, the Dangote refinery transported its first jet fuel cargo to Rotterdam, Netherlands.