The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, David Bird, has said the refinery’s production of Euro 5 standard fuels is delivering significant public health and environmental benefits while strengthening Nigeria’s maritime and energy value chain.
Speaking during an interaction with selected journalists, Bird explained that modern fuel specifications are driven largely by environmental and public health requirements, with particular relevance to maritime transport, where fuel quality directly impacts air emissions from vessels, port cities, and coastal communities.
He disclosed that the Dangote Refinery is producing Euro 5 specification petrol with sulphur content limited to 50 parts per million (ppm), a global benchmark designed to reduce harmful emissions, improve air quality, and support cleaner maritime operations.
“Fuel specifications have evolved over time in response to public health requirements. Euro 5 is not about imposing costs on industry. It is about safeguarding health and ensuring cleaner air,” Bird said. “Reducing sulphur in fuels has helped curb acid rain and other harmful emissions, which are critical concerns for port environments and coastal regions.”
Bird noted that several West African countries still operate under legacy fuel standards with significantly higher sulphur content, but Nigeria now benefits from cleaner fuels produced locally, a development with implications for shipping, bunkering, and port sustainability initiatives.
He also pointed out that metals such as lead, previously used to improve fuel performance, have been eliminated in advanced markets due to their severe health and environmental impacts.
“Nigerians are now enjoying low-sulphur, metal-free petrol comparable to what is available in Europe.
This should not be considered a luxury. If industry can deliver the highest standards, then consumers and the maritime sector have the right to benefit from them,” he stated. “Our ambition is to extend the reach of high-quality fuels across the continent.”
He added that the refinery’s consistent production of cleaner fuels positions Nigeria to align more closely with international maritime environmental regulations and global best practices, while also enhancing the country’s competitiveness in regional fuel supply and bunkering services.
Bird emphasised that the development represents not only a major industrial milestone but also a strategic advancement for Nigeria’s maritime industry, particularly in promoting sustainable shipping, greener ports, and improved air quality in coastal cities.
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