By Ayomide Otitoju
In a move signalling renewed cooperation in Nigeria’s energy sector, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) have pledged to strengthen their strategic partnership to boost energy security and industrial development.
The commitment was made during a high-level visit by NNPC Ltd.’s management to the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, where both sides agreed to set aside past differences and focus on operational efficiency and national interest.
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, described the renewed collaboration as central to the refinery’s founding vision and key to advancing industrialisation across Africa. He commended the new leadership of NNPC Ltd. for what he termed a proactive approach, expressing optimism that the partnership could transform the continent’s energy market.
Dangote noted that NNPC Ltd. holds a 7.25 per cent equity stake in the refinery on behalf of Nigerians and suggested that deeper collaboration within the existing industrial complex, rather than duplication of assets, would deliver greater national value.
He disclosed that the refinery is expanding into a fully integrated industrial hub, including plans for a 400,000 metric tonne Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB) facility projected to exceed current African production capacity. According to him, the future of refining lies in high-margin petrochemicals, which offer greater value creation than fuel production alone.
On his part, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency and productive collaboration, distancing the organisation from what he described as an “unproductive past.”
Ojulari said the visit was aimed at assessing current operations, identifying new opportunities and developing a joint working framework to guide future cooperation.
He commended the refinery’s operational performance, noting that it had surpassed its 650,000 barrels-per-day nameplate capacity. During the tour, the facility was observed operating at 661,000 barrels per day.
Describing both Dangote Group and NNPC Ltd. as strategically significant national institutions, Ojulari said closer collaboration would help redefine Nigeria’s energy security architecture and deepen industrialisation.
Both parties agreed to outline priority areas of cooperation in the coming weeks and move toward a structured implementation framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s economic prospects and positioning the country as a continental industrial hub.
