The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, has commended the Dangote Refinery, describing it as a “major milestone in the Nigerian energy sector.” Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, expressed optimism about the refinery’s positive impact on Nigeria’s economy.
The Dangote Refinery, located in Lagos, recently received its initial 1 million barrels of Agbami crude grade, marking the first phase of a larger supply arrangement involving 6 million barrels from various sources.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter), Obi extended congratulations to Ákíkó Dangote, emphasizing the refinery’s significance. “Having earlier witnessed the commissioning of the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals as the world’s largest single train petroleum refinery, I do believe it will be very beneficial to Nigeria’s troubled economy,” he stated.
Obi highlighted the refinery’s anticipated capacity of 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, emphasizing its potential to meet domestic demand for petroleum products. He pointed out that this would help Nigeria conserve foreign exchange, currently spent on importing such products, and position the country as a significant player in the global downstream petroleum sector.
The former Anambra State governor emphasized the critical role of the private sector in Nigeria’s transition from consumption to production. He noted that the refinery’s operations would create jobs, generate foreign exchange, and stimulate the growth of small-scale businesses in the industry.
The Dangote Refinery is expected to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economic development, supporting the country’s goals of self-sufficiency in petroleum products and reducing dependency on imports.