THE Nigerian Senate has pledged to support the Dangote Petroleum Refinery with necessary legislation that would preserve it from possible “detractors” asserting that the completion of the refinery has shamed past governments.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who led the leadership of the National Assembly on a tour of the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery built by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, gave the assurance.
According to a statement on Sunday, June 9 by the group head of corporation communications at Dangote Industries Limited, Anthony Chiejina, he said, “The Senate and the entire National Assembly would come up with a robust legislation that would protect the project and others like it.
“Mr. Dangote, I pity you a lot because even your friends will envy you simply because they will keep wondering how can you succeed when nations and continents have failed. Now that we have seen for ourselves, we are here to announce our endorsement of this major project. It is also shocking to see that we produce sufficient fertilizers for Nigeria and enough to be exported.”
On May 22, 2023, former President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned the $18.5 billion largest single-train refinery in the world built in Nigeria’s commercial city, Lagos State, The ICIR reported.
The refinery is expected to help reduce petroleum imports in Nigeria and Africa broadly and improve foreign exchange earnings for the country, among other benefits.
According to the Senate president, the National Assembly will come up with a report and speak to President Bola Tinubu to stop fertilizer import to the country.
“You will hear from us soon,” Akpabio assured Dangote.
Akpabio maintained that detractors of the refinery have been silenced and previous governments put to shame with the completion of the project.
The National Assembly will use its position to protect the refinery because it is one project that Nigeria and Africa should take ownership of and jealously protect, he said.
Commending Dangote further on the timely completion of the refinery, he said the “ordinary” residence of Nigeria’s Vice-President could not be completed until after 14 years.
“They told us in Abuja that Dangote Refinery is farce but we have come here and see for ourselves that the refinery is alive and running. Dangote has put to shame a lot of people. They are wondering how it will be possible for a single individual to accomplish what a whole nation could not accomplish; what 240 million people could not maintain; what a continent could not do and then one person will build a 650,000bpd project.
“They keep wondering how one person can succeed where nations have failed; where continents have failed. But Dangote has done it. It is highly commendable. We came to see the refinery because we in the current senate believe in the Nigerian dream. We didn’t come as a doubting Thomas but we came because we believe the project, we came to rekindle the hope of Nigerians and the Nigerian’s can do spirit,” he said.
Akpabio lamented that the country could not make the refineries in Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri function but that Dangote and his team have proven that it was possible to dream and achieve the dream in the country.
“The shame that came with the discovery of oil in Nigeria in 1958 has been removed by Dangote, alluding to a report that India does not have oil but refineries where the country exports refined products.
“The inability of the nation to refine its oil has brought untold hardship on Nigerians so much so that Belgian government recently ban the exportation of dirty and condemned fuel to the country to West African country just because we can’t refine our own products,” Akpabio added.
In a remark, Dangote’s Chairman said supporting the refinery secures the benefits.
“It will ensure energy security. As co-creators of value, we appreciate and acknowledge your consistent efforts in ensuring the enactment of vital laws promoting a conducive business environment in the nation,” he said.