Substandard Petroleum Products: MRS Oil and Gas Confirms Importation from Malta
A recent investigation has uncovered more information about the companies and individuals involved in the importation of substandard petroleum products from Malta. One of the key players is Sayyu Dantata, the half-brother of Aliko Dangote, the president of the Dangote Group.
In July, Aliko Dangote alleged that some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and oil traders have blending plants in Malta, where they produce and import off-spec petroleum products that are brought to Nigeria for consumption. This revelation was made in response to claims by the managing director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, that products from the Dangote refinery are inferior to imported ones.
Documents obtained by DAILY NIGERIAN reveal that MRS Oil and Gas is one of the oil companies importing fuel from Malta. The company, founded and led by Sayyu Dantata, has confirmed the importation of 91,219.232 Mt Vac of unleaded gasoline 91 Ron from PETROCAM DMCC in February 2024 through the vessel MT AETHER.
In separate letters dated March 4, MRS Oil and Gas confirmed the sale of full cargo on board MT AETHER to NNPC for delivery offshore Lagos. The letters, signed by the general manager of risk management, Moyosola Kuku, stated that the product was loaded at the port of OPL MALTA onto vessel MT AETHER with a bill of lading dated 19/02/2024.
The company’s directors include Aisha Dantata, Abdu Dantata, Patrice Alberti, GMD, Amina Maina, GCOO, and Mohammed Dantata. Attempts to get a reaction from the company were unsuccessful, as the phone numbers on the company’s website were not connecting, and the text message sent to the line is yet to be responded to as at the time of filing this report.
The importation of substandard petroleum products has raised concerns about the quality of fuel available in Nigeria, with many consumers experiencing issues with their vehicles due to the poor quality of the fuel. The Nigerian government has been urged to take action to address this issue and ensure that only high-quality fuel is sold in the country.
