The Dangote refinery has recently exported Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to Cameroon, Angola, Ghana, and South Africa.
Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil & Gas of Dangote Industries Limited, said this while hosting a team from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, led by Suzuki Hideo, Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the company’s spokesman, Anthony Chiejina, described Edwin as verifying that refinery goods match international requirements and are already shipped abroad.
“In recent weeks, we’ve exported petrol to Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, and South Africa, among others. Diesel has gone all over the world, and jet fuel is being heavily exported to European markets. Our products are already making their mark internationally,” Edwin said.
Edwin stated that the facility is the concept of a Nigerian investor named Aliko Dangote, planned and built by Nigerians, and meant to serve the global market.
He expressed delight that a Nigerian company planned and built the world’s largest single-train refinery facility.
According to him, Dangote Industries Limited served as the refinery’s engineering, procurement, and construction contractor, and cutting-edge technology from around the world was used to ensure that the facility met the highest requirements.
Edwin assured the ambassador-designate and delegation that the organisation is open to partnership and strives to maintain the highest possible standards.
“Even now, we have a lot of Japanese equipment inside both the refinery and the fertiliser plant. There are significant opportunities for collaboration, as we always seek the latest technology in any business we engage in.
“For instance, our cement plant laboratory is managed by robots, and we always embrace advanced technology. With Japan’s focus on technological innovation, there is ample scope for cooperation and for supplying various types of technology,” he said.
Edwin further noted that the Dangote Petrochemical project will greatly increase investment in downstream industries, providing substantial value, creating jobs, increasing tax revenues, lowering foreign exchange outflows, and contributing to Nigeria’s GDP.
He also stated that by exploiting Africa’s massive crude oil resources to make refined products locally, the Dangote Group hopes to establish a virtuous cycle of industrial development, job creation, and economic prosperity.
He emphasised that the refinery’s petroleum products are in high demand internationally, as it grows its polypropylene sector to lessen Nigeria’s reliance on imported polypropylene, a critical ingredient used in the packaging, textile, and automobile manufacturing industries.
According to the statement, the Japanese delegation praised the refinery and petrochemical complex, characterising it as an astounding masterpiece that demonstrates Nigeria’s technological accomplishments on a global scale.
The Japanese team, which inspected the buildings housing both the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals and Dangote Fertilisers, praised the technology, adding that it strengthens Nigeria’s position as Africa’s gateway.
Takashi Oku, Managing Director of the Japan External Trade Organisation, was quoted as saying that while Nigeria remains Africa’s gateway, the refinery is a great undertaking that demonstrates the country’s technological growth.
Oku said that the plant, the world’s largest single-train refinery, is a source of great pride for Nigeria.
“We had heard about the excellence of the Dangote Refinery through the media, but seeing it in person has left us truly amazed by its vastness and grandeur. It demonstrates that Nigeria’s population is not only growing but also advancing in technology. We are keen to collaborate with Nigerian companies, especially Dangote Refinery,” he said.
He emphasised that the refinery has strengthened Nigeria’s leadership position in Africa and that the facility serves as an excellent introduction to the country for the international world.
Masahiro Tsuno, the Managing Director of Itochu Nigeria Limited, is alleged to have complimented the Dangote refinery’s sheer scale and automation, describing it as a miracle and one of the world’s wonders.
“I’ve seen many standalone refineries across the globe, including in Vietnam and the Middle East. However, the size of a refinery built by one single investor is probably a miracle in the world. And I’m just actually witnessing a miracle,” he said.
