Dangote Refinery starts deployment of CNG-powered trucks for direct fuel distribution

The Dangote Refinery on Monday officially rolled out its compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for direct fuel distribution, with over 1,000 vehicles deployed to the gantry for loading.

Spokesman of the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, told newsmen that more than 1,000 trucks are ready to lift fuel to filling stations, while 500 others are at the port.

“In one year, we have transitioned to CNG. Some of the old trucks are not even qualified in terms of safety. When you see the CNG trucks, the difference is clear. We have more than a thousand of them here; about 500 are at the port. The rest are coming. By the end of the month, we will have all the CNG trucks here. That’s a big transformation; within one year we were able to transit from old to new,” Chiejina said.

The trucks… Picture credit: Ayodele Adeniran

He explained that the refinery, which commenced petrol production a year ago, has now shifted from using old trucks to adopting CNG-powered ones.

The direct fuel distribution scheme was initially scheduled to commence on August 15 but was delayed due to logistics challenges in China.

A total of 4,000 CNG trucks were ordered from China to be delivered in Lagos. However, the plan was stalled as there were insufficient vessels to transport the trucks.