Nation
Our Refinery Was Built Without Government Incentives-Dangote
The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, yesterday, said that the Dangote Refinery was constructed without any government incentives.
Dangote made this known during his keynote address at the Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) Summit in Lagos.
The Summit has the theme,”Making Nigeria a Net Exporter of Petroleum Products.”.
Dangote, who was represented by Mr Ahmed Mansur, Dangote Group, said that there was need for investor incentives to realise country’s vision of becoming a refining hub.
He stressed the importance of ensuring sufficient feedstock availability, while calling for an end to mortgaging crude oil.
“It is unfortunate that while countries like Norway are investing oil proceeds into a future fund, we in Africa are spending our future earnings,” Dangote said.
He also called for prioritising the implementation of domestic crude supply obligations and expanding crude oil production capacity to meet the demands of new refining facilities.
Dangote commended the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, highlighting the government’s active steps to accelerate International Oil Companies (IOC) divestments and other initiatives.
Despite being Africa’s largest crude oil producer, Dangote said that Nigeria had long relied on imports to meet its refined petroleum product needs.
He said, “Nigeria is poised to transition from a “net importer” to a “net exporter” of refined products, positioning itself as a significant player in global downstream trade.
“This impending transformation is indicative of our progress as an industry and as a nation. We owe a debt of gratitude to President Tinubu for his unwavering support throughout this journey.”
Dangote also addressed the opportunities in Africa, noting that the continent imports about three million barrels of petroleum products daily, with half of that coming from coastal countries.
He highlighted that these countries produce over 3.4 million barrels of crude oil daily, with imports primarily sourced from Europe, Russia and other regions.
“In 2023 alone, this trade was estimated at approximately 17 billion dollars.
“However, these markets will be better served from Nigeria, reducing logistics costs and allowing countries to purchase their petroleum product requirements just-in-time,” he explained.
He asserted that Nigeria and Africa could achieve self-sufficiency in petroleum products, retaining all economic value locally.
“We have succeeded in cement production, and we can certainly replicate that success in petroleum refining.
Dangote highlighted that the Dangote Refinery already produces sufficient diesel and jet fuel to meet Nigeria’s needs and is ramping up production of PMS to meet domestic demand.
“The refinery has also begun exporting products to markets in Europe, Brazil, the UK, the USA, Singapore, and South Korea.
He acknowledged that global developments in the petroleum sector, particularly in Europe, are likely to disrupt traditional trade flows for refined products in Africa.
“Nigeria is uniquely positioned to capitalize on these opportunities and become a formidable player in the global oil industry.
“As a vibrant exporter of refined products, Nigeria stands to improve its trade balance and generate much-needed foreign currency.
“There is no doubt about Nigeria’s potential as a refining hub; let’s work together to make it a reality,” he added.
In his address, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State urged oil and gas stakeholders to leverage the sector’s immense potential to become a global supplier of refined petroleum products.
The governor was represented by Mr Biodun Ogunleye, Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources.
He affirmed the state’s commitment to supporting the vision through initiatives that enhance infrastructure, logistics and regulatory frameworks necessary for investment in energy and refining sectors.
He noted that the Dangote Refinery, located in Lagos, exemplifies the potential that exists when vision meets conducive conditions for success.
“We are at a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s economic journey, where increasing refining capacity is essential for reducing reliance on imports and positioning Nigeria as a significant player in the global energy market.
“This focus on refining will stimulate job creation, enhance foreign exchange earnings and contribute to economic diversification.
“Lagos State is the economic powerhouse of Nigeria, and I recognise the central role it plays in driving the nation’s industrial and energy sectors,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Dr Chioma Ejikeme, has reiterated the commitment to service delivery for pensioners.
Ejikeme said this during the Customer Service Week in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that commission had a mandate to deliver good service delivery to the pensioners.
Ejikeme, who was represented by the Director Civil Service Pension Department, Mr Kabir Yusuf, said that the customer service week was important to operations of PTAD.
“Customer service is the support that you give to a customer, whether it is an existing customer or potential customer in the process of delivering or making enquires about a service.
“To be a good customer service representative you need to be knowledgeable, have good attitude and attribute especially to the senior citizens and have empathy,” he said.
Ejikeme said that all PTAD staff had most of the attributes of a good customer representative.
“We provide excellent customer service by going to verify our aged pensioners who cannot do it by themselves anywhere across the country.
“There is a dedicated team that was mandated to go round to confirm the aliveness of those who can not confirm their aliveness either because the are too old or have health issues,” the executive secretary said.
The National Coordinator, SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said that the official theme of the 2024 customer service week was “ We Go Above and Beyond For Our Customers.”
She commended PTAD and the SERVICOM team for organising the 2024 customer service week.
“This is in line with the best practice of celebrating frontline workers and service takers.
“Customer service week is celebrated annually during the first full week in October.
It calls attention to the importance of people to boost morale team work and departmental collaboration in supporting pensioners.
“ It is a platform to reward employees for the significant work they do,” Akajemeli said.
She said that the objective of the customer service week was to celebrate the hard work and dedication of employee who strived to create positive customer experiences.
She said that it was time to show customers that the organisation valued their experience and feedback, through comment cards, dedicated hotline, among others.
Akajemeli said that it raised awareness internally and externally about the importance of good customer service in building customer loyalty and satisfaction.
She said that the benefit was to increase motivation, show appreciation, encourage friendly competition, boost employee retention, create a positive workplace and increase productivity.
The Head, Surveillance Department at the National Pension Commission (PenCom), Mr Abdulrahman Saleem, said that good service delivery was the key success of every establishment.
Salem said that PTAD operated with standard, considering the success it had achieved so far.
Saleem said that pensioners required the best service attitude and behavior.
“ I give kudos to PTAD for its efforts and encourage it to do more.
“Therefore I urge PTAD staff to keep up the standard and continue to give good service to the pensioners,” he said.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has honoured Flying Officer David Sangokoya for winning the 2023/2024 Royal Air Force College Cranwell International Cadet Sword of Honour.
Abubakar honoured the officer during the presentation of cheques to 13 beneficiaries of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Group Personal Accident Insurance Policy (GPAIP) in Abuja, yesterday.
He described the achievement as ground-breaking as it was the first time an African cadet had won the prestigious award since the Academy’s creation over 100 years ago.
According to him, the feat underscores the excellence that exists within NAF, and proof that NAF officers and cadets can stand shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.
“To our awardee, you have set a new standard, not just for your peers, but for every cadet and officer that will come after you.
“This accomplishment is a powerful reminder that no goal is out of reach when one is armed with dedication, discipline and an unwavering commitment to excellence.
“Your journey as an officer has begun with this prestigious accolade, but the true measure of your success will be seen in how you serve, lead and contribute to the mission of NAF and the defence of our great nation.
“As we celebrate this historic occasion, we extend our deepest gratitude to the United Kingdom Government for its unwavering support in providing world-class training opportunities to our personnel.
“This has enabled our officers and men to gain invaluable skills and knowledge, strengthening not only our bilateral ties but also our collective ability to address global security challenges,” he said.
The CAS said that the NAF looked forward to continuing the fruitful partnership for the mutual benefit of Nigeria and UK countries.
He expressed gratitude and unflinching loyalty to President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the welfare and training of members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and NAF in particular.
“I must also take a moment to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the leadership of the Nigerian Defence Academy and the instructors who helped to mould and prepare this cadet for the global stage.
“Their dedication and commitment to developing top-notch officers is evident in this ground-breaking achievement.
“You have not only trained a leader but have given the Nigerian Air Force a legacy we will all cherish,” he said.
National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has advocated private sector involvement to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The Director-General of the authority, Dr Kelechi Ohiri, made the call at a high-level policy dialogue on sustainable health system reforms in Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.
The Tide’s source reports that the dialogue was organised by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN), a coalition of private sector stakeholders, to address the multifaceted challenges plaguing the country’s healthcare system.
The dialogue has “Private Sector Support for SWAP (Sector Wide Approach) in Healthcare” as its theme.
Represented by Dr Yakubu Agada-Amade, the NHIA Director of Standards and Quality Assurance, Ohiri explained the crucial role of private sector collaboration in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare system
He highlighted the “One Plan” under the SWAp framework, which seeks to unify health sector efforts, ensuring efficient resource use, effective governance and expanded healthcare access.
He also stressed the importance of overcoming barriers that historically hindered the implementation of healthcare interventions in Nigeria, such as inadequate financing, weak governance systems, and bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He added that “the dialogue explored innovative approaches, including digital health innovations and financing mechanisms to accelerate the implementation of the National Health Act and mandatory health insurance coverage.
“With enrollment in health insurance growing by 14 per cent over the past year, NHIA can push for greater inclusivity, particularly targeting the informal sector through flexible payment systems and partnerships with telecommunications companies.”
He called for stronger synergy between public and private health actors to ensure universal access to quality healthcare and sustainable reforms in line with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Panelists from the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), Healthcare Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) and Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) echoed the sentiments, underscoring the private sector’s role in expanding insurance coverage and improving healthcare delivery.
They commended NHIA’s efforts toward driving reforms to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp).