Connect with us

Business

NESG says FG Must Support Domestic Industries Like Dangote to Achieve $1 Trillion Economy Goal

It’s inconceivable that a nation of over 230 million people, with an annual birth rate higher than the total population of some countries, is still dependent on imports to feed its citizens

Published

on

186 Views

▪︎ Board members, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Mr Lanre Akinbo;  Mr. Udeme Ufot; Chairman, NESG, Mr Niyi Yusuf; President/CE, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Vice President (Oil & Gas), Dangote Group, Mr Devakumar Edwin; Board Members, NESG, Mr Philip Mshelbila; Mrs Wonu Adetayo; Mr Frank Aigbogun and CEO NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, during the visit of NESG delegation to Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals and Dangote Fertilisers in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has appealed to the Federal Government to support the survival of domestic industries if the economy will achieve the $1 trillion economy goal by 2030.

The NESG Chairman, Mr. Niyi Yusuf, made the call during a visit by the NESG team to both Dangote Fertiliser Limited and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals at Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

Yusuf said: ” Nigeria needs more investments of this caliber to reach its $1 trillion economy goal. To achieve a $1 trillion economy, much of that must come from domestic investments.

I joked during the bus ride that while others are dredging to create islands for leisure, you’ve dredged 65 million cubic tonnes of sand to create a future for the country.

This refinery, fertilizer plant, petrochemical complex, and supporting infrastructure are monumental,” he said. “My hope is that God grants you the strength, courage, and health to realize your ambitions and that in your lifetime, a new Nigeria will emerge,”

Yusuf emphasized that such local industries are essential to Nigeria’s industrialization and will help foster the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He added that the NESG would continue to advocate for an improved investment climate to attract entrepreneurs, boost development, ensure food security, and address insecurity.

He lamented that Nigeria has become a dumping ground for foreign products and stressed that the country must support its entrepreneurs to become a global player.

“It’s inconceivable that a nation of over 230 million people, with an annual birth rate higher than the total population of some countries, is still dependent on imports to feed its citizens.”

Yusuf also praised Dangote’s bold vision for making Nigeria self-sufficient in several key sectors.

“The NESG is grateful, and I believe the nation is as well. This refinery represents the audacity of courage. It takes immense effort to do what you’ve done and still be standing and smiling. Thank you for inspiring us and showing that nothing is impossible.

You’ve transformed Nigeria from a net importer of petroleum products to a net exporter,” he said.

“We’ve all read Think Big, but this is truly about thinking big. The message is clear: the private sector can bring about real change.”

Dangote stated that the concept of a free market should not be used as a pretext for continued import dependence, highlighting that both developed and developing nations, including the USA and China, actively protect their domestic industries to safeguard jobs and promote self-sufficiency.

Yusuf, alongside NESG board members and stakeholders, toured the refinery and fertilizer plants, lauding the level of investment, technology, and sophistication of young Nigerian engineers running world-class laboratories and central control units.

He acknowledged Dangote’s perseverance and success in overcoming numerous challenges.

In response, the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, reiterated the importance of the private sector in national development, asserting that Nigeria’s challenges could largely be overcome by providing gainful employment to its people.

Dangote stated that the concept of a free market should not be used as a pretext for continued import dependence, highlighting that both developed and developing nations, including the USA and China, actively protect their domestic industries to safeguard jobs and promote self-sufficiency.

Dangote also cited the example of the Benin Republic, where cement imports are restricted as part of a deliberate strategy to protect local industries, despite the proximity of his Ibese plant.

“The President is a personal friend, and my Ibese plant is just 28km from Benin, yet they refuse to allow imports to protect their local industries, most of which are grinding plants,” he remarked.

He further emphasized that the government stands to gain substantially when the private sector flourishes, noting that 52 kobo (52%) of every naira Dangote Cement generates goes to the government. Dangote also pointed out the significant challenges involved, in setting up industries in Nigeria, particularly the substantial capital investment required due to the lack of infrastructure.

He stressed that investors are often forced to take on responsibilities for essential services such as power, roads, and ports – services that should be provided by the government.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

CPPE Tasks Govt to Fix Cost of Living Crisis Amid GDP Growth

Reacting on Nigeria’s third quarter 2025 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 3.98 percent , CPPE said that it’s laudable, but called for policy interventions to fix the cost of living crisis.

Published

on

By

34 Views

The Center for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE) tasks the government to ensure that GDP Growth and macroeconomic stability translate into real improvements in citizens’ welfare.

Reacting on Nigeria’s third quarter 2025 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth of 3.98 percent , CPPE said that it’s laudable, but called for policy interventions to fix the cost of living crisis.

Dr Muda Yusuf, CEO of the CPPE, notes that despite the improvment in the GDP, the cost-of-living crisis remains a concern .

He said: ” While disinflation is underway and prices of some food items and manufactured products are easing, the social outcomes of economic reforms continue to weigh on households.

” It is therefore imperative for policymaking to prioritise targeted interventions to address the uneasiness around the cost of living and ensure that GDP Growth and macroeconomic stability translate into real improvements in citizens’ welfare—particularly for vulnerable groups.”

To consolidate the gains recorded in Q3 and unlock stronger, more inclusive growth, Dr Yusuf, said that the following policy interventions are critical:

Reduce Structural Bottlenecks

Address energy supply constraints, reduce logistics costs, improve port efficiency, and accelerate transport infrastructure development.

Mitigate the Cost-of-Living Crisis

Implement targeted social interventions and remove structural impediments that elevate consumer prices.

All tiers of government [local, state and federal] must sustain targeted interventions in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, transportation and energy to fix the cost of living crisis.  

Continue Reading

Business

Dangote Targets Nigeria Festive Season Monthly Supply of 1.5 billion litres of PMS

This represents 50 million litres per day. We are formally notifying the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of this commitment.

Published

on

By

40 Views

Dangote Petroleum Refinery says that it has concluded arrangements to supply over 50 million litres of petrol per day into the Nigerian market this festive season (December to January).

The company said that the decision was taken to ensure that there is no shortage of the product during the festive season.

This translates to 1.5 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) for the month of December.

The same amount of product will also be supplied in January 2026, it was added.

President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, announced the plans.

Dangote said: “In line with our commitment to national well-being, and consistent with our track record of ensuring a holiday season free of fuel scarcity, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery will supply 1.5 billion litres of PMS to the Nigerian market this month.

This represents 50 million litres per day. We are formally notifying the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of this commitment.

We will supply another 1.5 billion litres in January and increase to 1.75 billion litres in February, which translates to over 60 million litres per day.”

Speaking during a visit by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to the refinery and the Dangote Fertiliser complex, he stated that the facility currently has adequate stock and is producing between 40 and 45 million litres of PMS daily.

He added that the daily supply of 50 million litres should dispel long-standing claims that domestic refineries lack the capacity to meet national demand.

Continue Reading

Business

Dangote Partners Honeywell International to Boost Refinery Capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day

Published

on

71 Views

Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest single-train petroleum refinery, has signed a landmark contract with U.S. industrial giant Honeywell International to execute a significant capacity upgrade that will boost the facility’s crude processing capability from the current 650,000 barrels per day to an ambitious 1.4 million barrels per day.

The multi-billion-dollar project, described by sources close to the deal as one of the largest refinery expansion initiatives globally in recent years, will involve the installation of advanced process units, automation systems, and energy-efficiency technologies supplied and integrated by Honeywell UOP and Honeywell Process Solutions.

Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, confirmed the partnership, stating: “This strategic collaboration with Honeywell will position the Dangote Refinery as one of the top five largest refineries in the world by capacity.

The upgrade will not only enhance our ability to meet Nigeria’s complete refined products demand but also establish the refinery as a major export hub for gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and petrochemicals across Africa and beyond.

”The expansion is expected to be implemented in phases, with key units including additional crude distillation, hydrocracking, and catalytic reforming modules.

Honeywell’s proprietary technologies are anticipated to improve yield of high-value products while reducing energy consumption and emissions.Upon completion, the 1.4 million bpd Dangote Refinery will surpass the current global top-tier facilities such as Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar Refinery (1.24 million bpd) and Paraguay’s planned 1.2 million bpd project, cementing its status as the world’s largest single-train refinery.

The project is expected to create thousands of direct and indirect jobs during the construction and commissioning phases and further reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products.

A spokesperson for Honeywell confirmed the award, saying the company was “honored to partner with Dangote on this transformative project that will reshape the African downstream landscape.

”Detailed timelines and the exact value of the contract were not disclosed, but industry analysts estimate the expansion could exceed $5–7 billion in total investment.

The statement said: Dangote Group is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Honeywell International Inc to support the next phase of expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

This collaboration will provide advanced technology and services that will enable the refinery to increase its processing capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, marking a major milestone in our long-term vision to build the world’s largest petroleum refining complex.

Through this agreement, Honeywell will supply specialised catalysts, equipment, and process technologies that will allow the refinery to process a broader slate of crude grades efficiently and to further enhance product quality and operational reliability.

Honeywell, a global Fortune 100 industrial and technology company, offers a wide portfolio of solutions across aviation, automotive, industrial automation, and advanced materials.

Honeywell’s division UOP has been a technology partner to Dangote since 2017, providing proprietary refining systems, catalyst regeneration equipment, high performance column trays, and heat exchanger technologies that support our best-in-class operations.

Dangote Group is also advancing its petrochemical footprint. As part of the wider collaboration, we are scaling our polypropylene capacity to 2.4 million metric tons annually using Honeywell’s Oleflex technology.

Polypropylene is a key industrial material widely used across packaging, manufacturing, and automotive applications.In addition to refining expansion, Dangote Group is progressing with the next phase of its fertiliser growth plan in Nigeria. We will increase our urea production capacity from 3 million metric tons to 9 million metric tons annually.

The existing plant consists of two trains of 1.5 million metric tons each. The expansion will add four additional trains to meet growing demand for high-quality fertiliser across Africa and global markets.

Dangote Group remains fully committed to delivering world-class industrial capacity, strengthening Nigeria’s energy security, and driving sustainable economic growth through long-term investment, innovation, and strategic global partnerships.

Continue Reading

Trending