Senate Lauds Dangote Refinery, Condemns Past Government Failures
Senate Lauds Dangote Refinery, Condemns Past Government Failures
Jerry Adesewo
The Senate leadership has hailed the completion of the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a monumental achievement, condemning past Nigerian governments for failing to accomplish similar feats. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, led a delegation of the 10th Senate on a tour of the refinery in Lagos, describing it as the “9th wonder of the world.”
Akpabio criticised skeptics of the refinery, calling them “dream killers,” and asserted that the project’s completion has silenced detractors and shamed previous administrations. He assured the National Assembly that it would take the necessary measures to protect and support the refinery, emphasising its significance to Nigeria and Africa.
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“Many doubted that a single individual could achieve what a whole nation couldn’t,” said Akpabio. “But Alhaji Aliko Dangote has put to shame those doubts by building the largest single-train refinery in the world in record time, while even the residence of Nigeria’s Vice-President took 14 years to complete.”
During the tour, Akpabio noted the failures of Nigeria’s existing refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt, and Warri, and praised Dangote for demonstrating that success is possible in Nigeria. He also highlighted the embarrassment caused by Nigeria’s inability to refine its oil, leading to the importation of dirty and condemned fuel, which recently prompted a ban by the Belgian government.
The Senate President promised that the National Assembly would enact robust legislation to protect the refinery and similar projects. He pitied Dangote, anticipating envy from others due to his unprecedented success. “We came to see the refinery because we believe in the Nigerian dream,” Akpabio said. “We didn’t come as doubting Thomases, but to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and the Nigerian can-do spirit.”
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also speaking during the visit, expressed pride in the refinery being located in Lagos, Nigeria. He lauded Dangote for putting the state and country on the world map of excellence and assured that investments like this would help Nigeria achieve a projected GDP of $1 trillion by 2030.
In his remarks, Dangote highlighted the refinery’s capability to produce a wide range of high-quality petroleum products, including premium motor spirit (petrol), diesel, kerosene, and jet fuel, all meeting Euro V standards. He also mentioned that the refinery would generate significant economic growth and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, having already supported over 150,000 jobs during its construction.
Dangote stressed that the refinery’s capacity is sufficient to meet domestic demands for refined products, with plans to export about 50% of its production, generating foreign exchange for Nigeria. He called on the Legislature to continue supporting domestic industry to ensure energy security and economic growth.
The completion of the refinery marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s industrialisation efforts and underscores the importance of visionary leadership and public-private partnerships in driving national development.