Aliko Dangote, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, has made it clear that his company’s newly established refinery is not in competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). This statement came after a visit to Bayo Ojulari, the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC, in Abuja.
The visit, which took place on Thursday, was an opportunity for Dangote to express his commitment to fostering a strong partnership between Dangote Group and NNPC, aimed at boosting Nigeria’s energy security.
The Dangote refinery, a multi-billion-dollar project, has been a topic of debate in recent times, particularly around its relationship with NNPC. There were earlier reports suggesting an unhealthy competition between the two organizations, especially concerning the supply of crude oil in naira.
However, Dangote took the opportunity to assure that there is no such rivalry. “There is no competition between us; we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd. NNPC is part and parcel of our business, and we are also part of NNPC. This is an era of cooperation between the two organisations,” Dangote stated during the meeting.
This clarification comes after Dangote had previously accused certain groups of undermining the progress of his refinery. He later explained that these groups were major marketers, not the new NNPC leadership. Dangote emphasized his willingness to collaborate with the new NNPC team to secure Nigeria’s energy future.
Olufemi Soneye, the spokesperson for NNPC, further highlighted that the purpose of the meeting was to strengthen the cooperation between the two entities. Dangote also congratulated Ojulari and his team on their recent appointments, acknowledging the weight of responsibility the new leadership would bear. He expressed his belief that with the right team, NNPC would be able to handle the monumental challenges ahead.
Ojulari, in turn, assured Dangote that NNPC was open to building a partnership founded on healthy competition and productive collaboration. He commended the workforce at NNPC for their dedication and skill, noting that the company’s professionals were deeply committed to delivering value to Nigeria.
