By Sidney Amoje
Business News Correspondent
Dangote Refutes Claims of Rivalry with NNPC, Calls for Collaboration
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, has dismissed speculations suggesting that his multi-billion-dollar refinery is in direct competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). Speaking during a recent media briefing, Dangote emphasized that his company’s role in the petroleum sector is complementary—not competitive.
“There’s no basis for rivalry,” Dangote stated. “The NNPC is a national institution and we are a private entity. Our goal is to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported fuel and support national energy security.”
The Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is one of the largest in Africa and is expected to significantly boost local refining capacity. Despite its scale, Dangote insists that the refinery’s operations are designed to align with national goals rather than challenge the state-run oil giant.
He further noted that collaboration between public and private sectors is essential to solving Nigeria’s long-standing fuel importation and subsidy challenges. “We are all working toward the same objective—making Nigeria energy self-sufficient,” he added.
Industry analysts see Dangote’s comments as an effort to dispel tensions and promote synergy in the country’s evolving oil and gas landscape.
