Business
Dangote Refinery Inspires Future Engineers as FUTO Students Experience Africa’s Largest Industrial Complex
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals (DPRP) reaffirmed commitment to nurturing the next generation of African engineers, innovators, and industrial leaders, when it hosted outstanding students from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) on an educational tour.
The visit was in fulfilment of a promise made by the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, during the university’s 37th Public Lecture, where he pledged to expose exceptional students to world-class industrial operations. The initiative is aimed at bridging the gap between academic learning and real-world industry experience.
Led by the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof Nnenna Oti, the delegation comprised top-performing students drawn from engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship disciplines.
Speaking during an interactive session with the students, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, David Bird, described the facility as a compelling demonstration of how innovation, advanced technology, and private sector investment can drive economic transformation while opening up opportunities for young Africans.
According to Bird, the refinery, widely regarded as the world’s largest single-train refinery, represents the peak of technological sophistication on the African continent.
“There is no better showcase of modern technology than the refinery that Alhaji Aliko Dangote has built here,” he said.
“What we have created is one of the world’s youngest, most modern, energy-efficient, highly automated, and data-rich refineries. It is also contributing to the decarbonisation of the oil and gas value chain while delivering cleaner fuels to Nigeria and West Africa.”
ALSO READ: Midnight Horror in Kaduna: Gunmen Kill Nine, Injure 11 in Fresh Community Attack
He emphasised that exposure to facilities of this scale is critical to reshaping perceptions about Africa’s industrial sector.
“I am incredibly inspired by the curiosity, passion, and enthusiasm shown by these students. They are seeing first-hand that this industry is dynamic, innovative, and offers rewarding long-term career opportunities for highly skilled professionals,” Bird added.
He further disclosed that the refinery plans to deepen collaboration with universities and research institutions, particularly in emerging fields such as renewable energy and sustainable fuel technologies.
“Our objective is to stay closely aligned with universities, understand the research they are undertaking, and identify opportunities to support the commercialisation of innovative ideas. There are exciting developments around biofuels and other technologies shaping the future of energy,” he said.
In her remarks, Professor Oti described the visit as a transformative and life-changing experience for the students, noting that it aligns with ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships between academia and industry.
She explained that the students were personally invited by Aliko Dangote following his lecture at the university earlier in the year.
“At the end of his lecture, he invited 15 female and 15 male students to visit his refinery and factories in Lagos as special guests. This was part of his vision to inspire the next generation, and today stands as a fulfilment of that promise,” she said.
According to the Vice Chancellor, the initiative provides a rare platform for students to connect classroom knowledge with practical industrial applications.
“This is what I describe as an Ivory Tower–Industry Partnership. There is no more effective way to bridge the gap between theory and practice than by exposing students to facilities of this scale,” she said. “These are some of our best students across mechanical, chemical, petroleum and software engineering, as well as entrepreneurship. This experience will undoubtedly broaden their horizons, expand their ambitions, and shape their future careers.”
She added that the visit underscores the transformative impact of visionary African entrepreneurship in driving industrialisation and economic growth.
For many of the students, the tour offered a unique opportunity to see firsthand the technologies and systems they had previously encountered only in theory.
A 500-level Mechanical Engineering student, Amadi Ijeoma Winfrey, described the experience as both enlightening and inspiring.
“The experience has been amazing,” she said. “Seeing the practical application of equipment such as pumps, compressors, and turbines has helped bridge the gap between theory and reality.”
She noted that witnessing the scale and sophistication of the refinery has strengthened her aspirations for a career in engineering and industrial development.
Similarly, a 500-level Chemical Engineering student, Israel Ifanyichukwu, described the visit as transformative, noting that it provided valuable insight into how classroom theories are applied on an industrial scale. He said the experience has not only broadened his perspective but also equipped him with knowledge he intends to apply in his academic and professional pursuits.
Also speaking, Professor Abraham Ngwuta, Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, and Professor Chikwendu Emenike Orji, Dean of Students Affairs, described Aliko Dangote as a model entrepreneur whose diverse investments across critical sectors highlight the power of vision, discipline, and long-term value creation. They noted that his industrial footprint offers a practical framework for students to understand entrepreneurship as a driver of national development, job creation, and economic transformation.
The visit forms part of Dangote Industries’ broader commitment to advancing education, innovation, and skills development, as well as preparing a new generation of professionals capable of driving Africa’s industrial transformation.
Africa’s first fully integrated 2-inch to 48-inch steel pipe induction bending and coating plant is poised to open in Nigeria before end of 2027.
The project completion timeline was disclosed by the Managing Director of Brentex Petroleum Services Limited, Chidi Nzerem, during a tour of the Steel Pipe Induction Bending and Coating Facility at the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT), Onne Port, Rivers State by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Felix Ogbe.
Ogbe lauded the firm on the significant progress recorded on the project, describing it as a landmark industrial project and a major demonstration of Nigeria’s growing status as a leading hub for oil and gas logistics, engineering, and manufacturing services.
The Brentex Facility is a $50 million investment being developed to provide integrated steel pipe induction bending, heat treatment, testing, and coating services for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry and has attracted over $26 million in investments to date.
Ogbe, reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to working with industry stakeholders to deepen in-country capacity, promote industrialisation, and expand the scope of Nigerian Content in the oil and gas industry.
He praised Brentex Petroleum Services Limited for its bold investment, resilience, and commitment to developing indigenous capacity, noting that the company’s steady progress on the facility reflected the growing confidence of Nigerian firms in delivering world-class oil and gas infrastructure and engineering solutions.
The Executive Secretary, represented by the Director, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (MED), Esueme Dan Kikile, noted that the emergence of the Brentex Steel Pipe Induction Bending and Coating Facility represents “a direct and tangible response to the quest for in-country capacity in specialised pipeline engineering services,” adding that the project would advance “our collective goal of retaining value, creating jobs, and strengthening Nigeria’s position as a leading energy services hub in Africa.”
In a recollection of the beginnings of the company and the project, he disclosed, “We’ve been on this journey with Brentex for over a decade. Today, we’ve seen what you are doing on ground. And that’s actually the whole idea about the equipment component manufacturing initiative of the NCDMB – in-country value addition – and you have been steadfast.”
ALSO READ: Nigeria Records Zero Aviation Fuel Imports for 13 Months
The NCDMB boss urged the Management of Brentex to sustain the momentum on the project and maintain the highest standards of quality, safety, and operational excellence, noting that the facility has the potential to become a flagship Nigerian Content asset and a reference point for specialised pipeline engineering services across Africa.
“I’d like to express the Board’s deep appreciation for your investment in our country, and to assure you that you have our support,” he declared, adding, “Whatever we can also do to get the industry to patronise this investment, we’ll do that, because it’s very important that the industry take advantage of what we have in-country.”
In his opening remarks, Nzerem thanked the Executive Secretary and the NCDMB delegation for the visit, describing it as a strong vote of confidence in the project and its contribution to the growth of in-country capacity.
He also acknowledged the Board’s support and partnership over the past 10 years, noting that the sustained interventions had been instrumental to the facility’s progress, adding that it was conceived to advance the objectives of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, 2010.
Nzerem expressed high hopes that the Board’s support would be sustained.
Responding to an inquiry by the General Manager, Downstream, Project Certification and Authorisation Division (PCAD), Tassalla Tersurgh, on the facility’s contribution to human capital development, the Managing Director said the company would engage NCDMB after facility certification to develop training programmes aligned with the Board’s mandate.
He disclosed that the facility is expected to engage about 200 engineers and other technical personnel, creating employment, technical training, skills transfer and capacity-building opportunities, with the long-term goal of the facility being 100 percent handled and operated by trained Nigerians.
On the strategic importance of the facility, the Project Manager at Brentex, Patrick Anaje, stated that the facility, the first of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa, is expected to transform pipeline engineering services by providing the country’s first fully integrated in-country solution for steel pipe induction bending and coating.
He disclosed that Brentex is currently engaged in the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Natural Gas Pipeline project, where the company’s new capabilities would be of immense value.
He noted that with an estimated 95 percent of steel pipes currently imported, the facility will enable operators to source specialised pipe induction bending, coating and pipe repair services locally, significantly reducing dependence on foreign suppliers and overseas repairs, shortening project delivery timelines, lowering procurement-related delays and costs, and improving operational efficiency across the oil and gas industry. He added that the project will also deliver significant benefits to the national economy by retaining industry value within Nigeria.
The ceremony was attended by top management officials of NCDMB, executives of Brentex Petroleum Services Limited, industry stakeholders, project consultants, contractors, representatives of the host communities of Onne and Ogu, members of the Community Liaison Committee (CLC), and members of the media, who witnessed firsthand the significant progress recorded on the strategic Nigerian Content project.
As part of efforts to strengthen the regional distribution network of its 700,000-barrel-per-day refinery and strengthen presence in Africa, the Dangote Group is considering a petroleum products storage terminal in Cameroon.
To this end, the Dangote Group, through its Vice President for Oil, Gas and Fertiliser, Devakumar Edwin, on Tuesday, tabled a proposal before Cameroon’s Prime Minister, Joseph Dion Ngute.
From details of the proposal vented by a local media outlet, Business in Cameroon, the planned facility would help build Cameroon’s strategic petroleum reserves, improve fuel supply security and potentially include a pipeline network for transporting refined products, which would reduce logistics costs and the environmental impact associated with road haulage.
However, the project is still at its preliminary stages as no agreement has been announced by the parties.
The Dangote Group has yet to disclose the proposed location of the terminal, its storage capacity, investment value or implementation timeline.
It has also not stated whether the facility would be wholly owned, developed in partnership with the Cameroonian government or executed under a public-private partnership arrangement.
If realised, the project would provide a major export outlet for petroleum products from the Dangote refinery in Lekki, Lagos, which was built to meet domestic demand while supplying regional markets across Africa.
ALSO READ: NUPRC Identifies over 1,100 HCDT Projects in Niger Delta
According to reports, the proposed terminal would also position the company to serve not only the Cameroonian market but also landlocked Central African countries, including Chad and the Central African Republic, which rely heavily on Cameroonian ports for fuel imports.
By positioning petroleum inventories closer to end-users, the company is expected to reduce delivery times, lower distribution costs and improve the efficiency of fuel supply across the region.
For Cameroon, the investment could strengthen fuel supply security and diversify petroleum product sources, provided the project aligns with the country’s pricing framework, taxation policies and strategic reserve requirements.
It was learnt that the proposal comes as Cameroon intensifies efforts to expand its petroleum storage capacity through major infrastructure projects in the port city of Kribi.
The country’s National Petroleum Storage Company is currently developing a petroleum terminal with a planned storage capacity of 230,000 cubic metres for refined products, including petrol, diesel and kerosene, alongside facilities capable of storing 40,000 metric tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.
The project is expected to almost double Cameroon’s existing liquid fuel storage capacity of about 245,500 cubic metres.
A second terminal is also being developed by CSTAR Tank Farm Project Management, a consortium owned by Ariana Energy, Tradex and Cameroon’s National Hydrocarbons Corporation.
The CSTAR project is expected to provide between 250,000 and 300,000 cubic metres of storage for diesel, petrol, aviation fuel, kerosene and heavy fuel oil at an estimated cost of CFA168bn.
Combined, the two projects are projected to add at least 480,000 cubic metres of liquid fuel storage capacity to the country’s downstream petroleum sector.
It was said that Dangote’s proposed facility could either complement the government’s ongoing investments or compete with them for access to port infrastructure, financing, pipeline networks and petroleum product volumes.
Cameroon’s petroleum storage business is currently dominated by the National Petroleum Storage Company, which manages the country’s fuel storage facilities, nationwide distribution network and strategic petroleum reserves.
If approved, the Dangote project would mark the group’s entry into Cameroon’s downstream petroleum sector, adding to its existing presence in the country through its cement manufacturing operations in Douala.
The proposal is the latest indication of the group’s ambition to establish a broader regional fuel distribution network anchored on its Lekki refinery, which has increasingly expanded exports to African and international markets.
Forty-five young Nigerian graduates have started a 12-month Nigerian Content Human Capital Development (NC-HCD) Training Programme for technical competencies identified as critical for value retention and increased indigenous participation across the oil and gas industry value chain.
Organised by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with Chevron Nigeria Limited and Tombas Resources Nigeria Limited, the programme is geared towards provision of Automated Crude Oil Storage Tanks Upgrade and Repair Services, and is designed to have the trainees adequately grounded in process control technologies, industrial instrumentation and maintenance practices, as well as automation systems, among other competencies.
In a keynote address at the occasion, the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, represented by the General Manager, HCD, Alexis Emelle, described the programme as a strategic investment in Nigerian talent and a demonstration of the Board’s commitment to building indigenous capacity in line with its mandate.
ALSO READ: NUPRC Dangles 50 Oil, Gas Blocks Before 143 Investors at Bid Conference
He noted that beyond technical skills, the programme would inculcate professionalism, accountability, teamwork, and a strong culture of safety in the trainees, who are expected to maximise the opportunity and emerge as competent professionals capable of contributing to growth and sustainability of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
He admonished the trainees to demonstrate commitment, discipline, and a willingness to learn throughout the programme, pointing out that their selection was a reflection of the confidence that the NCDMB, Chevron Nigeria Limited, and Tombas Resources, along with the training partners, have in their potential.
In separate remarks, representatives of Chevron and Tombas congratulated the trainees on their successful selection, while urging them to take their training seriously and be focused and dedicated throughout the duration of the programme.
In an overview of the training scope, a representative of Dexterous Applied Training Institute explained that participants would be exposed to Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (BOSIET), Health Safety and Environment (HSE), Introduction to Electrical and Industrial Instrumentation Maintenance, and Introduction to Oil and Gas Operations, in addition to the aforesaid competencies, for which they would receive globally recognised industry certifications. The NC-HCD training programme constitutes part of NCDMB’s broader human capital development strategy aimed at creating a new generation of highly skilled Nigerians capable of supporting the growth, competitiveness and sustainability of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry
Account for N7.98tn Oil Windfall – Atiku to Tinubu
Oando Partners FG for Gas-to-power Initiative for Industrialisation
Nigeria Welcomes Africa’s First Steel Pipe Bending, Coating Factory
Panic at Oko Polytechnic as Three-Storey Students’ Hostel Collapses
‘They Have No Reason to Hate Us’ — Lisandro Martinez Breaks Silence on Argentina World Cup Backlash
Nigeria Records Zero Aviation Fuel Imports for 13 Months
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Tems Sets New Record On Billboard Hot 100 Chart
