The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has clarified that the Dangote Refinery is not in competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), emphasizing instead a commitment to collaboration for Nigeria’s energy security.
This assurance was made during Dangote’s visit on Thursday to the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, at the NNPC headquarters in Abuja. According to a statement released on Friday by NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, the meeting is part of ongoing efforts to foster mutually beneficial partnerships and encourage healthy competition between the two entities.
Recent months have seen signs of tension between the state-owned oil giant and the $20 billion Dangote Refinery, particularly over issues such as the supply of crude oil in naira. Dangote had earlier alleged that some cabals within the oil marketing sector were working against his refinery’s interests, though he clarified that the new NNPC board was not among them.
At Thursday’s meeting, Dangote sought to dispel rumors of rivalry, stating:
“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.”
Both Dangote and Ojulari agreed to deepen collaboration aimed at boosting Nigeria’s energy security and promoting shared prosperity for Nigerians.
Dangote also congratulated Ojulari and the senior management team on their appointments, acknowledging the enormity of the tasks ahead and expressing confidence in NNPC’s experienced workforce.
In his remarks, Ojulari assured Dangote of NNPC’s commitment to a mutually beneficial partnership grounded in innovation, commercial value, and national interest.
“The workforce I met here is dedicated, highly skilled, and consistently focused on delivering value for Nigeria,” Ojulari said, pledging to maintain collaboration wherever there is a commercial advantage for the country.
The two executives also agreed to personally act as relationship managers for their respective organizations, ensuring sustained engagement and envisioning “limitless opportunities” for both companies, the statement concluded.
According to the 9am News report, the move signals a new chapter in Nigeria’s energy landscape, where public-private partnerships are seen as crucial to meeting the nation’s growing energy demands and reducing its dependence on fuel imports.
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