
President of the Republic of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe on Tuesday paid a visit to the site of the proposed Dangote Refinery in Lagos in what many believed was a step towards a possible partnership between Dangote group and the West African Country.
He was received at the presidential wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport by Governor Akinwumi Ambode, Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enalama and chairman of the Dangote group, Aliko Dangote.
In a reception held in honour of the visiting President, Governor Ambode said that Lagos state is “home to a substantial Togolese population and I am positive that we are providing them with the opportunities to get ahead in their endeavours.
He said The Dangote Refinery is another emerging opportunity in Lagos State and one of the biggest investments in Africa today which will have a huge impact on the economy of not only Nigeria but the whole of West African region.
“This refinery, when completed, will be the largest single line refinery anywhere in the world refining 6,500 barrels of crude oil daily. Apart from creating jobs, this refinery will contribute immensely to solving the fuel supply challenge in the West African region,” Ambode said.
The Governor expressed satisfaction with the level of work that has been put into the construction of the refinery, and commended Dangote Group for its vision, doggedness and unwavering desire to contribute positively to the growth of the Nigerian economy.
Ambode said that with a population of over 20 million and strategically located on the West African coast, Lagos presents a unique investment proposition for all businesses.
Earlier, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah said the Dangote Refinery project is the best description of the partnership between private sector and government.
Enelamah commended Dangote whom he described as a champion and role model .
“We need champions and Dangote is a Nigerian champion; he is an African champion; he is also a role model. We need many examples and with the repositioning that the Federal Government is doing, we are going to see many more examples,” Enelamah said.
Chairman of the Dangote group, Aliko Dangote commended President Gnassingbe for finding time to inspect the refinery, adding that he was happy with the interest and encouragement being received over the project.
Recall that on April 10, the Dangote group commenced the building of a $1 billion cement manufacturing company in Okpella, Edo State, which according to analysts, is expected to generate 6000 direct and 45,000 indirect job opportunities.