Business mogul, Femi Otedola, has commended his longtime associate and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, following the announcement of a massive expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
In a post via his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Sunday, Otedola celebrated the refinery’s planned capacity increase from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day, describing it as a historic milestone for Africa’s industrial growth.
“My brother and Africa’s pride, @AlikoDangote, addressed a world press conference in Lagos where he unveiled the expansion of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery to 1.4 million barrels per day from 650,000 barrels per day. This makes it the largest refinery ever built in the world,” Otedola wrote.
Praising Dangote’s vision and resilience, the Geregu Power Plc chairman said the billionaire’s “relentless commitment to investing in Nigeria and Africa will outlive him,” describing the expansion as a generational legacy project that would transform the continent’s energy landscape.
He further revealed that Nigerians would soon have the opportunity to own shares in the refinery, reflecting what he called Dangote’s inclusive vision for national development.
“Soon, Nigerians will own part of this refinery, a powerful reminder that this vision is not just for Dangote, but for all Nigerians and Africans,” he added.
Otedola also extended appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his “continued encouragement as the private sector drives forward the Renewed Hope mandate to build a stronger, self-reliant Nigeria.”
Earlier, Dangote had announced the refinery’s expansion at a press briefing in Lagos, stating that the upgrade would make it the largest refinery in the world, surpassing India’s Jamnagar Refinery.
According to him, construction work would commence immediately, engaging 65,000 workers, with 85 percent of the workforce being Nigerians. He also revealed plans to increase the refinery’s power generation capacity from 500 megawatts to 1,000 megawatts to support operations and surrounding communities.
The Dangote Refinery, which began operations in 2024, is already regarded as one of Africa’s most ambitious industrial projects—expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products and strengthen its energy security.
