Dangote Refinery to generate 135,000 jobs, save forex, meet national demand
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Dangote Refinery expected to end Nigeria’s oil woes will also create 135,000 permanent jobs and generate 12 mega watts (mw) of electricity to help boost the national grid, according to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele made the disclosure on Monday at the launch of Dangote Oil and Petrochemical Refinery in Lagos by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Then, we insisted that under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, that the ongoing projects and efforts will be actively implemented to diversify the economy and make the country globally competitive but people still doubted us,” he said.
“Aside from enumerating our strategic efforts in agriculture and other critical sectors is selling projects that we highlighted to our foreign investor community was this project, the refinery …. They doubted us.
“They doubted our willpower to succeed with this project. In hindsight … I would appreciate their skepticism because they do not understand how a single individual, a man like Dangote, could build a refinery capable of serving an entire nation and continent.
“I’m glad to say that this project comes with numerous economic benefits to Nigerians as, in the first instance, it will generate thousands of direct jobs of over 135,000 permanent jobs.
“I am also proud to say that electricity of about 12,000 mega watts of electricity would be generated.”
Emefiele also projected significant forex exchange (FX or forex) savings as well as easing the fiscal burden of the federal government.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu noted “Dangote [the man] came to Lagos with nothing about 45 years ago, but he is now Africa’s richest man.”
Sanwo-Olu described Dangote as a detribalised man who saw the wealth of Lagos, adding he is a Lagosian who has invested in the prosperity of the state and Nigeria.
__________________________________________________________________
Related articles:
Nigeria to earn $10b exports, save $25b through Dangote Refinery
NNPC canvasses for $32.61b to revamp refineries, pipeline infrastructure
Nigerian elite steal $46.16b crude oil in 7 years
__________________________________________________________________
Meeting national demand
Aliko Dangote, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, said his first goal is to ramp up production of various fuel products to ensure that within this year, the refinery can fully satisfy national demand for quality products.
“There will be constant availability of high-quality fuels for our transportation sector, the refinery will also make available to our industries vital raw materials for wide range of manufacturing,” he said, per The Guardian.
“Our Group’s corporate vision is driven by our mission to produce what we consume and to promote self-sufficiency in the basic needs of our people.
“We decided on a plant designed with state-of-the-art technology and a scale in a capacity that will be a game-changer in Africa and the global market.”
Dangote Refinery has capacity to produce 650,000 barrels per day (bpd). It is the largest single train oil refinery in the world, the largest in Africa, and the seventh largest oil refinery globally.
It can meet the energy demands of both Nigeria and Africa, according to Dangote.
 of electricity ...){kind=link}