By Sahel Reporters, Lagos
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a transformative national asset, calling it a vital tool for bridging Nigeria’s fuel supply gap, boosting employment, and restoring public confidence in the country’s industrial capacity.
Speaking during a tour of the refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Chairperson of the NLC Lagos State Council, Comrade Funmi Sessi, who led members of the council’s executive, praised the scale and strategic significance of the Dangote Group’s investments. She said the projects are delivering tangible benefits to Nigerians.
“Today, we have seen the massive Dangote Refinery project, as well as the fertiliser plant. We have also observed some of Dangote’s other investments in this axis. It is truly enormous and highly impressive,” Sessi said. “I believe what we have seen is a clear effort to bridge the gap in the availability of essential products in the country, create job opportunities for Nigerians and others, and industrialise the country.”
The union noted that after the Federal Government removed petrol subsidies, Nigerians experienced an unprecedented surge in the cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). However, the entry of Dangote Petroleum Refinery into the market helped stabilise prices.
“It wasn’t until Dangote came into the picture that we started seeing some relief. His intervention significantly crashed the escalated prices of PMS and other refined products. That’s a clear demonstration of private sector leadership,” she said.
The NLC appealed to the Federal Government to prioritise the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery in naira rather than dollars, warning that forcing the company to import crude or purchase locally in foreign currency undermines the goal of lower fuel prices.
“This country has crude oil in abundance. So why is Dangote still being made to import crude or pay for it in hard currency?” the NLC queried. “If the government is truly committed to reducing fuel prices and supporting local refining, it must sell crude oil to Dangote in naira.”
The union argued that sourcing crude locally in local currency would reduce operational costs and, in turn, bring sustainable cuts in fuel prices.
“With a daily capacity of 650,000 barrels, this refinery can serve Nigeria and even the West African sub-region. We also saw big ships taking fertilisers to other countries. The government must maximise this capacity,” Sessi said.
The NLC commended Alhaji Aliko Dangote for delivering a fully functional, world-class refinery capable of meeting both domestic and regional fuel needs, including Euro 5-compliant products with reduced sulphur content.
“This is the kind of pride we want to see — a Nigerian company producing at global standards. It is changing the narrative and elevating Nigeria’s position globally. It’s time the government supports and maximises the capacity of this asset,” Sessi said.
The union also noted the fertiliser company’s export success and urged the government to leverage its output to boost food security and cut dependence on imported agricultural inputs.
Vice President, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, announced the planned deployment of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks from August 15 to support nationwide distribution of refined products.
He explained that the initiative would lower logistics costs — a major factor in pump prices — while reducing environmental impact. “The deployment of these 4,000 CNG-powered trucks will help us pass down the benefits of domestic refining and the reduction in product prices to consumers,” Edwin said.
Edwin also highlighted how Dangote’s ventures have spurred competition in key sectors, citing cement and sugar as examples. “The success of this refinery will drive the emergence of more private refineries in Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the Dangote Group continues to train Nigerian engineers, scientists, and technicians, many of whom now work abroad, reaffirming Aliko Dangote’s commitment to human capital development and national progress.
SAHEL REPORTERS NEWS
