Five west African countries ban 'dirty diesel' from Europe

Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and Ivory Coast to block imports from oil companies and traders of diesel with sulphur levels many times European limit

Five west African countries have announced measures to end the practice of European oil companies and traders exporting "African quality" diesel - highly polluting fuels that could never be sold in Europe.

Swiss commodity traders were accused in a report published in September by Swiss NGO Public Eye of exporting fuels to west Africa with sulphur levels that are sometimes hundreds of times higher than European levels.