Nigeria has reduced the sulphur cap on refined oil product imports to 50 Parts Per Million (ppm) according to market participants.
The new cap which took effect at the start of June, according to sources — marks a sharp reduction from a previous 200 ppm limit set on March 1.
According to sources, there was no widespread information campaign to make market participants aware of the specification change.
The lower sulphur limit comes as Nigeria braces for the imminent ramp-up of 10 ppm ultra-low sulphur diesel production at the Dangote refinery 650,000 b/d facility followed by 10ppm gasoline production in mid-July.
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A lower sulphur content ceiling for imports will likely favour the sale of diesel, jet fuel and gasoline from the Dangote refinery to the local Nigerian market, which until March was able to import high-sulphur products upwards of 2,000ppm.
Some 10ppm diesel has already been delivered to Nigeria since the start of June, as traders have struggled to source any available 50ppm diesel to import into the country under the new cap, one trader said.
Despite the regulatory change, one local Nigerian marketer told Argus that a 30,000t cargo of 150ppm gasoline is discharging in the country on 19 June, raising questions around enforcement of the new cap.
ORIENTALNEWS
