Dangote Refinery Shows Africa Is Not Only About Poverty, Crisis – Shettima
He said this at the inauguration of the 650,000 bpd refinery where he represented the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, in Lagos State on Monday, according to Channels Television.
“Africa is not all about the crisis in Sudan. Africa is not all about poverty, deprivation, and destitution. Africa is not all about insecurity,” he said, calling on the global media to “give maximum coverage to this function”.
He said the Dangote Refinery will be the most consequential single project to come on stream in Nigeria in recent times and is bound to have a huge impact on the growth and development of our economy and positively influence the life and wellbeing of Nigerians.
The Former Borno State governor, on behalf of the President-elect, congratulated Dangote on bringing the project to fruition. He commended other Nigerians who are following in Dangote’s footsteps and also encouraged others to follow suit.
Shettima also commended the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government, the government, and the people of Lagos for creating an enabling environment for the actualization of the project.
He assured that the incoming administration will do everything possible to upscale and sustain the tempo of the project.
The project is expected to produce Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), diesel (Automotive Gas Oil), aviation jet fuel, and Dual-Purpose Kerosene (DPK), among other refined products.
Several dignitaries attended the inauguration in the Lekki area of Lagos State, including President Buhari.
Other African leaders that graced the occasion include presidents Nana Akufo-Addo (Ghana), Mohamed Bazoum (Niger), Macky Sall (Senegal), and Faure Gnassingbé (Togo).
Dangote Refinery Will Help Stabilise Naira, Impact Lives, Wellbeing Of Nigerians – Shettima
He is also certain that the project buries all stereotypical negative narratives about Nigeria and Africa as a whole, as usually portrayed, especially in the Western Media.
Channel Television reports that Shettima stated this at the commissioning of the plant in Lagos State on Monday.
The former governor of Borno State said the inauguration exercise makes the day rank as one of the greatest days in the contemporary annals of the nation’s history.
He stressed that such a project with huge prospects of reversing Nigeria and Africa’s reliance on imported petroleum products and generating much needed foreign exchange, should get a very wide coverage, so that the world can begin to tell a new story about the continent.
“Africa is not all about the crisis in Sudan, Africa is not all about poverty, Africa is not all about deprivation and destitution, Africa is not all about insecurity, I hope the CNN, the BBC, and the Sky News of this world will be around to give maximum coverage to this function,” the VP-elect stressed.
While praising other Nigerian entrepreneurs who have already embarked on similar projects, Mr Shettima noted that the incoming government led by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will do whatever possible to upscale and sustain the tempo of the refinery project.
Dangote Refinery: Nigeria Can Save over $3bn Annually from Product Importation, Says Obaseki
The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said the commissioning of the 650,000bpd Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical plant, the world’s largest single train refinery, has opened a new vista of opportunity for the nation’s economy, noting that the country can save over $3bn annually from the importation of petroleum products.
Speaking to journalists at the commissioning of the refinery, developed by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, Obaseki said the refinery is a game changer for Nigeria, hailing the genius, dexterity and inimitable entrepreneurial spirit of Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The petroleum refinery with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) is sitting on 2,635 hectares of land located in the Dangote Industries Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, and will provide employment to over 100,000 persons.
He said, “Beyond the commissioning, the fact that we have finally got to the position where we can begin to refine products, particularly petrol and diesel locally is a breakthrough. What this means is that we will be saving up to 3 billion dollars in a year for not importing. That’s more than the amount we spend today on all our infrastructure, education, and health. That sort of money is coming back to the government for growth.
“But beyond it, there is the certainty of supply, and capacity to not only produce for your market but to be able to export to the rest of the continent. And not just importing the kind of products you used to import, you are now processing and refining better quality products of international standard.”
According to him, “Before now, the bulk of what we used to buy was low grade, so it affected our vehicles. The maintenance status of our vehicles was lower than anywhere else. Today, we are producing something that’s of international grade and you can now sell an end product.
“So, for me, this is the game changer for Nigeria because you don’t only save what you used to spend but are now given the capacity to earn more. So, you are saving and also earning more.”
The governor added, “Look at the other materials that will come out of the refinery, particularly, the petrochemical plants. I mean, everything up here is all plastic, all petrochemicals. That means we now have a base material to produce most of these things that we need for packaging, for equipment like everywhere else and that’s a big export for us.”
Speaking on other opportunities for growth presented by the refinery, Obaseki noted, “The biggest challenge in Nigeria today is jobs for young people. Why haven’t we created the number of jobs that I think we should give our population size? Beyond just investing in a facility like this that creates direct jobs, the materials being produced here will now have what we call multiple effects on our own range of industries.
“If you are in the business of food processing, all your packaging materials in the past, you waited for it to be imported. Today, you can make those packaging materials here, which means that you can do more. And so what we see is that this is the lever you need for industrialization, for creating materials small businesses need to be efficient, to be competitive, and do their work.”
Emefiele: Dangote Refinery To Generate 12,000 Megawatts Of Electricity
On his part, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele has said that the just inaugurated Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals will help Nigeria generate more power for its electricity sector.
Speaking at the event in Lagos State, the Governor said that the Dangote Refinery is expected to generate 12,000 megawatts of electricity.
He further stated that over 135,000 permanent jobs will be available to Nigerians as operations get underway.
According to him, it is also expected that the refinery saves Nigeria between $25 and $30 billion in forex annually.
Like a venture that continues to give, the refinery Emefiele says will further give the economy an inflow of $10billion yearly.
In his opinion, the Dangote Refinery is an indication that Nigeria can produce whatever it Needs.
Take a listen below to the CBN Governor as he gives his speech at the commissioning of the Dangote Refinery.
Dangote Came to Lagos with Nothing 45 years Ago, But Built Biggest Empire for Africa – Sanwo-Olu
Also speaking at the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state said the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote came to the state 45 years ago with nothing, but has successfully built the biggest empire in the world for Africa.
Vanguard reported that Sanwo-Olu stated this while speaking at the commissioning of the refinery in Lagos on Monday.
He commended Dangote for the establishment of his refinery in Nigeria, particularly Lagos.
The governor said: “The first story is about a young Nigerian 45 years ago and you see the coincidence in the story. 45 years ago, who came to Lagos, all the way from another mega-city, Kano, who saw the prosperity, the diversity of our country, who came with nothing but in 45 years has built the biggest empire in the world for Africa.”
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Project, a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited owned by Aliko Dangote, was commissioned earlier today (Monday) by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The facility is located at Dangote Industries Free Zone, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, and expected to process crude oil grades from the continent of Africa, Asia and America, with a delivery of a surplus of close to 38 million litres of petrol, diesel, kerosene and aviation fuel for Nigeria daily
The refinery is also expected to refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day and transforms crude oil into different usage of petroleum products such as diesel, gasoline, jet fuel and kerosene.
The refinery will produce Euro-V quality gasoline and diesel, as well as jet fuel and polypropylene.
The firm stated that the facility was designed to process a large variety of crudes including many of the African crudes, some of the Middle Eastern crudes and the United States Light Tight Oil.