As Nigeria grapples with the perennial challenges of fuel scarcity, high cost of petroleum products, subsidy burdens, and economic stagnation, the impending completion of Dangote’s refinery offers a beacon of hope.
However, rumours and allegations of sabotage by the federal government in cahoots with International Oil Companies (IOCs) oil marketers and subsidy cabals have sparked concerns among Nigerians.
It is imperative that the federal government resists any temptation to hinder this project, and instead, embraces it as a vital component of Nigeria’s economic resurgence.
Dangote Refinery represents a $19 billion investment, the largest in Africa, and a testament to Nigerian entrepreneurship.
With a capacity to process 650,000 barrels per day, it promises to slash fuel imports, create jobs, and stimulate economic growth.
Sabotaging this project will not only undermine our economic progress but also discourage foreign investments and dash the hopes of a nation yearning for development.
It is worrisome that the Nigerian government which has consistently failed to make its local refineries to function after gulping multiple billions of dollars in maintenance would be reluctant to support efforts at setting up a refinery and refining products internally. Despite several empty promises made by the federal government, the Port Harcourt Refinery is yet to begin production as I write this letter. And even though the government has given a new date of August, refining of products to commence in that facility, no one knows how far it will go in tackling the problem facing the country.
The recent comments by a federal government’s regulatory agency, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) that the Dangote Refinery products are of inferior quality and that the plant is only 45% completed have continued to stir controversies and mixed reactions. This to me, sounds like a ploy to justify the country’s continuous importation of petroleum products rather than refining its own crude!
The agency also raised issues about the Dangote Refinery not being licensed as well as allegations of monopolistic tendencies.
Why are all these issues coming up at this critical time when Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the refinery to come on full stream? Was it not the same federal government that supplied crude oil to the refinery for production? Do you supply crude to an uncompleted plant to refine? What went wrong? We need answers!
Rather than hindering Dangote’s refinery, the federal government should:
- Provide necessary support and incentives to ensure its successful completion and take off without encumbrances.
- Foster a conducive business environment, encouraging other investors to follow suit.
- Work with Dangote to develop a framework that benefits both the company and the nation.
Nigeria cannot afford to miss this opportunity for whatever reason and whoever’s interest. Our collective national interests should supersede the interest of any individual or group. Let us rally behind Dangote’s refinery and usher in a new era of economic prosperity.
Onogwu Daniel, a public affairs analyst wrote from Utako, Abuja
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