Business
$1 Trillion Economy: Govt Must Back Domestic Industries
The Nigerian Government has been urged to demonstrate seriousness in achieving her $1 trillion economy target by supporting local industries.
The call was made on Tuesday by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) during a visit to Dangote Fertiliser Limited and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.
Biztellers reports that the refinery recently achieved a significant milestone by successfully exporting two cargoes of jet fuel to Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil producer and a leading integrated oil and gas company globally.
While commending Aliko Dangote for establishing the $20 billion refinery – the largest single-train refinery in the world – NESG Chairman, Niyi Yusuf, stated that Nigeria needs more investments of this calibre 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, fertiliser plant, petrochemical complex, and supporting infrastructure are monumental,” he said.
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He added, “My hope is that God grants you the strength, courage, and health to realise your ambitions, and that in your lifetime, a new Nigeria will emerge.”
Yusuf emphasised that such local industries are essential to Nigeria’s industrialisation and will help foster the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). He made it clear 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 own entrepreneurs to become global players. “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 has the ability to bring about real change.”
Yusuf, alongside NESG board members and stakeholders, toured the refinery and fertiliser plants, lauding the level of investment, technology, and the sophistication of young Nigerian engineers running world-class laboratories and central control units. He acknowledged Dangote’s perseverance and success in overcoming numerous challenges.
Dangote, in his response, 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 protect their domestic industries to safeguard jobs and promote self-sufficiency. Dangote also cited the example of 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 in order to protect their local industries, most of which are grinding plants,” he remarked.
He further emphasised that the government stands to gain substantially when the private sector flourishes, noting that with 52 kobo (52%) of every naira Dangote Cement generates going 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.
Dangote said that the refinery’s world-class standards and advanced technologies have enabled it to export products to global markets.
He told the elated audience that the refinery recently achieved a significant milestone by exporting two cargoes of aviation fuel to Saudi Aramco.
“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 said.
Since its production began in 2024, the Dangote refinery has steadily increased its output, now reaching 550,000 barrels per day.
The unbroken run of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has been commended by a relevant stakeholder.
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) gave kudos to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) and others for the continuous operations of the refinery since October 2024.
Biztellers reports that the PHRC, which was dormant for over 20 years, was revamped with a loan provided by the Afreximbank. Revamping the PHRC was carried out by Tecnimont Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Maire Tecnimont Group.
The PETROAN through a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Joseph Obele, has come out to praise Tecnimont Nigeria Limited “for their professionalism and expertise in delivering a world-class rehabilitation project.”
The host communities were also commended by the PETROAN, which noted their cooperation and support during the rehabilitation process.
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In the statement, the PETROAN noted thus, “The refinery, which was commissioned in October 2024, has been running continuously for 180 days, up to March, a remarkable feat that underscores the effectiveness of the rehabilitation project.”
Consequently, the “PETROAN is pleased to note that its members are currently loading diesel and kerosene from the refinery, while NNPCL retail marketers are loading PMS. This development has not only ensured a steady supply of petroleum products but has also helped to eliminate the circulation of fake kerosene and diesel in the market.”
The PETROAN also lauded the managing director of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, Ibrahim Onoja, for his dedication to ensuring the successful rehabilitation and operation of the refinery.
Higher authorities, including “President Bola Tinubu, for making funds available for the rehabilitation of the refinery; the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, for his supervision and guidance throughout the rehabilitation process; the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPCL, Mele Kyari, for his leadership and commitment to the project; and the Managing Director of NNPC Retail Ltd, Hubb Stockman, for the effective marketing of all the products from the refinery,” were also commended by the PETROAN.
Industry regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) was also lauded by the PETROAN for its regulatory oversight and support in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of the refinery.
Evidence of the growing influence of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has manifested far beyond Africa and the Middle East, with the United States having imported over two million barrels of jet fuel from the Nigerian based refinery in March.
According to experts, this development should bring immense joy to Nigerians, as it attests to the unparalleled quality of the refinery’s products and the trust that the international community places in the world’s largest single-train refinery.
Going by data from ship-tracking service Kpler, six vessels carrying around 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery arrived at US ports this month.
It was gathered that another vessel, the Hafnia Andromeda, is set to arrive at the Everglades terminal on 29th March with approximately 348,000 barrels of jet fuel.
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The shipments from the Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) — Africa’s largest — highlight its potential to reshape global fuel trading dynamics, establishing a new swing supplier in the Atlantic Basin.
Biztellers reports that this shipment to the United States follows three cargoes of jet fuel, totalling around 130 million litres, exported from Nigeria to Saudi Arabia by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The refinery has already demonstrated its ability to compete with European refiners on gasoline (PMS) exports, and these jet fuel shipments to the United States could challenge the economics of domestic producers in the world’s largest fuel-consuming nation.
According to Chief Operating Officer of TankTiger, Steven Barsamian, “the surge in demand, partly driven by the influx of supply from Nigeria, is expected to lower jet fuel prices in the US ahead of the peak summer travel season. US jet fuel imports from Dangote Refinery are expected to decrease aviation fuel prices during this period, according to trade analysts and storage brokers. US jet fuel imports in March have averaged around 226,000 bpd, the highest since February 2023, underlining the global demand for products from Dangote Refinery.”
The Dangote Refinery, which commenced production in January 2024, has already exported its products to almost every continent. While the surge in US imports was partly triggered by a maintenance-related shutdown at the Phillips 66 Bayway refinery in New Jersey, analysts believe the choice of Dangote’s products highlights its growing presence in international markets, having successfully competed with European refiners in gasoline exports.
Economist and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), Dr Muda Yusuf, stated that the export of jet fuel to the United States by Dangote Refinery is a point of pride for Nigeria, highlighting the quality, standard, and the trust that the international community places in the refinery.
“Nothing could be more prideful for us as a country than the fact that we now have a refinery producing products that can be exported to the United States. It speaks to the quality, standards, and trust that international communities have in Dangote Refinery, because these are markets that don’t compromise on quality. They have stringent standards, and if they deem it worthy to import from Nigeria, it is a source of great pride,” he said.
On his part, the former Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) also emphasised that Dangote Refinery is enhancing Nigeria’s position on the global stage and should be supported by both citizens and the government.
“That is why all of us—citizens and the government — should do everything to support the refinery, as it is breaking many barriers and boosting our country’s reputation. The lesson here is that we should support the Dangote Refinery and other refineries with similar capacities, as they can provide us with significant leverage,” he added.
Similarly, Public Policy Expert, Dr Abimbola Oyarinu, stated that the Nigerian economy would be in a better state today if the country had functional refineries in the past, rather than just exporting crude oil while importing refined petroleum products.
“This is something that should have been addressed since 2014. Things wouldn’t have reached this point—such as high inflation and unemployment—if we had a functioning refinery. However, both the government and the people failed to take action until Dangote stepped in with significant investment. The Dangote Refinery is not only reducing foreign exchange outflow, but it is also bringing in foreign exchange. It is unfortunate that despite this, some elites and those in power are still intent on sabotaging the refinery and Dangote himself,” he said.
The university lecturer also warned that the lack of ease in doing business and the frustration of local investments could discourage future investors.
“This is something the country should be proud of. We previously had a mono-economy, reliant solely on oil exports, but Dangote has helped diversify the sector by selling finished products to international markets. However, which investors would want to invest in Nigeria after seeing what Dangote is going through?” he queried.
The Dangote Cement Plc (DCP) has achieved a ‘B’ score in climate change and water security disclosures according to the recently released 2024 Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) results.
The CDP is the world’s largest, most comprehensive dataset on environmental action which empowers investors, companies, cities, and national and regional governments to make earth-positive decisions.
It was gathered that Dangote Cement has disclosed its environmental practices annually through the CDP since 2018.
On its part, the CDP provides a voluntary framework for companies to report on Climate, Water Security, and Forests. It rigorously evaluates corporate environmental performance, assigning scores from A to D based on companies’ transparency, governance, and measurable actions towards sustainability. Following the release of company scores in February, Dangote Cement’s score on water security which was C was upgraded to B. Similarly, the company’s commitment to supporting a climate resilient future was also demonstrated in its climate change score of B in 2024.
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On the new rating, Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dangote Cement, Arvind Pathak, said, “Dangote Cement leads in Africa as one of few businesses in six states and regions of Africa to disclose through CDP.”
He further stated that “the 2024 score is an outcome of ongoing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint, accelerate climate action and promote sustainability across our business and its value chain.”
On his part, the Head, Sustainability, Dangote Cement, Dr. Igazeuma Okoroba, expressed gratitude to all stakeholders who aligned with the Group’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy overseen by the company’s Board which supported the achievement of an improved rating this year.
She asserted that “this year’s results are evidence that our contribution to create a world where people, planet and profit are truly balanced is paying off.”
Affirming the company’s commitment to decarbonisation, Dr Igazeuma stated that “Although this year’s score demonstrates our transparency on sustainability, DCP’s goal is to go beyond disclosure and take meaningful action through tangible solutions, innovations, and projects to close the gap between ambition and reality.”
Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 45.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to customer” business with activities in manufacturing, sales, and distribution of cement. The company is on track to meet its decarbonisation targets through energy efficiency measures, adoption of supplementary cement materials, carbon offsets and other sustainable practices.
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