Kashim Shettima, the Vice President-elect of Nigeria, has expressed his belief that the newly commissioned Dangote Refinery will fortify the Naira and significantly improve the lives of Nigerians. Speaking at the refinery’s inauguration in Lagos on Monday, Shettima emphasized the profound impact of the project.
Shettima claimed that the Dangote Refinery has debunked the negative stereotypes about Nigeria and Africa typically depicted in Western media. The former governor of Borno State heralded the inauguration as a milestone in the nation’s history.
With the refinery’s potential to significantly reduce Nigeria and Africa’s reliance on imported petroleum products, Shettima expressed optimism about the future. He underscored the importance of international coverage of the project to showcase a new, positive narrative about Africa.
“Africa is not all about crisis, poverty, deprivation, and insecurity. I hope the CNN, the BBC, and the Sky News of this world will be around to give maximum coverage to this function,” Shettima stated.
The Vice President-elect praised Nigerian entrepreneurs who have initiated similar projects and assured that the incoming government, led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will support and sustain the momentum of the refinery project.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Project, situated at Dangote Industries Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is a subsidiary of Dangote Industries Limited, owned by Aliko Dangote. The facility is set to process crude oil grades from Africa, Asia, and America, delivering surplus petrol, diesel, kerosene, and aviation fuel daily.
This enormous refinery, with a capacity to refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, will convert crude oil into a range of petroleum products including diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, and kerosene. The facility is designed to process a variety of crudes, including African crudes, Middle Eastern crudes, and the United States Light Tight Oil.
