By Jude Atupulazi
In a historic development, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Sunday announced the successfully exporting of two jet fuel cargoes to Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer and a leading integrated oil and gas company globally.
A statement from the Management of the $20 billion facility made this known on Tuesday, February 4, during a visit by a team from the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) to both the refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Limited in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
Dangote said exporting products to the global markets, especially Saudi Aramco, was made easy because of his refinery’s world-class standards and advanced technologies.
‘We are reaching the ambitious goals we set for ourselves, and I’m pleased to announce that we’ve just sold two cargoes of jet fuel to Saudi Aramco,’ he was quoted as saying.
Since its production began in 2024, the Dangote Refinery has steadily increased its output, and has now reached 550,000 barrels per day, from the initial 350,000 bpd.
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.
He 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 protected their domestic industries to safeguard jobs and promote self-sufficiency.
Dangote also cited the example of Benin Republic where, he said, cement imports were restricted as part of a deliberate strategy to protect local industries, despite the proximity of his Ibese Manufacturing Plant.
‘The President (of Benin Republic) is a personal friend, and my Ibese plant is just 28 kilometres from Benin, yet they refuse to allow imports to protect their local industries, most of which are grinding plants,’ he stressed.
Dangote further emphasised that the government stood to gain substantially when the private sector flourished, noting that 52 kobo or 52 per cent of every Naira Dangote Cement generated went to the government.
Besides, Dangote 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 were often forced to take on responsibilities for essential services such as power, roads, and ports – services, he said, that should be provided by the government.
