Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - President/Chief Executive, Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Aliko Dangote, has declared that since the refinery began producing petrol a year ago, Nigeria’s five-decade-long struggle with fuel queues has finally come to an end.
Speaking at a conference to mark the first anniversary of
the launch of petrol from the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery, Dangote
highlighted that Nigerians have endured persistent fuel queues since 1975.
However, this issue has been steadily resolved since the refinery commenced
production on 3rd September 2024.
“We have been battling fuel queues since 1975, but today
Nigerians are witnessing a new era,” he said.
Acknowledging the numerous challenges, the refinery has
faced since its inception, Dangote emphasized the company’s unwavering
commitment to Nigeria and Africa.
“The journey has been challenging because we sought to
transform the downstream sector in Nigeria. Some believed we were taking food
from their tables, which simply isn’t true. What we have done is to make our
country and continent proud. Previously, only two African countries were not
importing petrol, but regrettably, they have since resumed imports. This is
detrimental to Africa,” he added.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during the refinery’s
development, Dangote disclosed that the project involved enormous risk. He
received repeated warnings from industry experts, investors, local and foreign
government officials, who argued that only sovereign nations undertook such
large-scale refinery ventures. He admitted that had the project failed, he
would have lost all his assets to lenders.
“The decision to build the refinery was not easy. If it had
gone wrong, lenders would have taken our assets. But we believed in Nigeria and
Africa,” he said.
Despite opposition and economic headwinds, the refinery has
successfully reduced the price of petrol from nearly N1,100 before production
began to N841 in the Southwest, Abuja, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Kwara. With the
gradual rollout of CNG-powered trucks, Dangote anticipates this price reduction
will soon be felt nationwide.
He noted that the refinery has sufficient capacity to meet
Nigeria’s domestic demand while also generating foreign exchange through
exports. He revealed that between June and first week of September 2025,
the facility had exported over 1.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit
(PMS), underscoring its capacity to meet domestic demand and contribute
significantly to foreign exchange earnings.
Emphasizing job creation, he stated that the refinery has no
intention of displacing workers but is instead generating thousands of new
employment opportunities. The deployment of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks is
expected to create at least 24,000 jobs across Nigeria.
“We have not displaced any jobs; we are creating many more.
The CNG trucks will not be operated by robots. Our employees earn salaries
three times the minimum wage. Our drivers receive a living wage, life
insurance, health insurance covering themselves, their spouses, and up to four
children, as well as a lifelong pension. We are not only employing drivers but
also mechanics, fleet managers, and other professionals to support the CNG
fleet.”
Dangote clarified that while the company respects trade
unions, membership is a personal choice for each driver.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s industrialization,
describing it as essential for the continent’s development. Dangote emphasized
the urgent need for Nigeria to protect its local industries and discourage the
dumping of cheap foreign goods, citing the collapse of the once-thriving
textile sector as a cautionary example.
He noted that Nigeria’s path to sustainable economic growth
lies in industrialization, which not only boosts local productivity but also
supports a circular economy.
“Other nations were not industrialized by outsiders. We must
build and industrialize our own economies. Without this, how can others invest?
That is why I believe the National Assembly should enact legislation to support
the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy. My goal is to see Africa
prosper, as we have the fastest-growing population in the world. Relying on
imports means exporting jobs and importing poverty. Many individuals with
greater financial resources than myself want to invest, but the challenges we
face discourage them. Numerous sectors are still in urgent need of industrialization,”
he said
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