LAGOS, Nigeria — The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has publicly declared its support for the Dangote Refinery and criticised Nigeria’s oil regulators for their handling of the country’s oil and gas sector.
This announcement follows allegations that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, attempted to bribe the student leaders with $250,000 to dissuade them from endorsing the refinery.
NANS Senate President, Akinteye Afiz, addressed the refinery management after a tour of the facility in Lagos on Wednesday, July 31, 2024.
Mr Afiz stated that the association’s leadership, comprising representatives from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, was appalled by the accusations against the refinery and felt compelled to see the facility firsthand.
“We had a meeting on the situation in the country vis a vis the uncertainty in the oil and gas industry, especially the current fuel scarcity, and we resolved to visit Dangote Refinery to see things for ourselves,” Afiz said.
“Having gone around the facility, our hearts melted at the humongous size of the refinery.”
Afiz condemned the government’s alleged reluctance to support the refinery, despite its potential to end fuel importation and save Nigeria’s foreign exchange.
“We are speaking the minds of all Nigerian students that the government should direct all marketers to patronize Dangote refinery and ease the current fuel hardship. If anyone wants to compete with Dangote, let them go and build their own,” he asserted.
The students’ tour revealed that the refinery is equipped with world-class facilities, contrary to claims of its inferiority.
“Dangote Refinery has come to stay. We have discovered that all claims being bandied around are false,” Afiz said. “Our impression is that they never expected the refinery to stand, that is why they are against you. But we are pledging our resolve to stand by you.”
Afiz urged the government to support the refinery and protect it from sabotage, emphasizing the project’s significance for Nigeria’s economy.
“We can’t allow this type of project that holds great potential for Nigeria’s economy to go down through some people’s disdain for the success of Alhaji Aliko Dangote,” he added.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice-President of Dangote Industries Limited, welcomed the students and expressed gratitude for their support.
He highlighted the intervention by President Bola Tinubu, who directed that crude be sold to the refinery in Naira, describing it as a positive development for all Nigerians.
Edwin stressed the refinery’s potential to alleviate Nigeria’s fuel import dependence, noting that 43 percent of its production capacity could meet domestic demand while the rest would be exported to generate foreign exchange.
“What we want to do in Refinery, we have done in other businesses,” he said, referencing Dangote’s successful ventures in sugar and cement production.
Edwin lamented the challenges faced by the refinery, including the lack of crude supply and the imposition of additional charges above the prevailing market price.
He noted that despite these obstacles, the refinery resorted to importing crude from Brazil and the United States to maintain operations.
“This is a global market where you can track crude prices anytime,” Edwin said. “Even the US, the leading proponent of free market economy, protects its local industries by imposing huge duty on foreign imports just to protect local industries.”
He recalled that Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi had invited Dangote to build refineries in their regions, promising steady crude supply, but Dangote chose to invest in Nigeria instead.
“Now he did that and a facility that is supposed to add value to Nigeria’s economy is being frustrated,” Edwin remarked.
Edwin reaffirmed Dangote Industries’ commitment to adding value to Nigeria’s economy through investments and job creation.
“We will continue to focus on our business strategy which is to add value to Nigeria’s economy through investments and job creation for the teeming Nigerian masses,” he concluded.
