NLC says Dangote Refinery is Nigeria’s path to cheaper fuel

*Labour urges FG to sell crude in naira to boost local refining

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has hailed the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a transformative national asset, describing it as a vital step towards bridging Nigeria’s fuel supply gap, boosting employment, and restoring public confidence in the country’s industrial capacity.
Speaking after a tour of the Dangote Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Limited, the Chairperson of the NLC Lagos State Council, Funmi Sessi, who led the Executive members of the Council, praised the massive scale and strategic significance of the Dangote Group’s investments, stating that the projects are delivering tangible benefits to the Nigerian people.
“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
“I believe what we have seen is a clear effort to bridge the gap in the availability of essential products in the country, to create job opportunities for Nigerians and others, as well as to industrialise the country.”
She recalled that following the Federal Government’s removal of petrol subsidies, Nigerians experienced an unprecedented surge in the cost of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS.
According to her, the entrance of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery into the market helped to 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 stated.
The NLC chairperson appealed to the Federal Government to prioritise the sale of crude oil to the Dangote Refinery in naira.
She argued that forcing the company to import crude or purchase locally in dollars undermines the promise of lower fuel prices for ordinary Nigerians.
Sessi queried, “This country has crude oil in abundance. So why is Dangote still being made to import crude or pay for it in hard currency? If the government is truly committed to reducing fuel prices and supporting local refining, it must sell crude oil to Dangote in naira.”
The NLC leader argued that sourcing crude locally in local currency would significantly lower operational costs and, by extension, lead to a more sustainable reduction in fuel prices.
“With a daily capacity of 650,000 barrels, this refinery can serve Nigeria and even the West African sub-region. We have also seen big ships taking fertilisers to other countries. The government must maximise this opportunity,” the NLC Chairperson said.
She pointed out that the refinery’s potential mirrors the transformation experienced in the cement industry, where Dangote’s pioneering role stimulated competition and market growth.
“We have seen it with sugar, and we have seen it with cement. The success of Dangote Cement led to the emergence of players like BUA, Mangal, and the expansion of Lafarge. In the same way, the success of this refinery will drive the emergence of more private refineries in Nigeria,” she said.
According to her, the Dangote Refinery is not only helping to address Nigeria’s long-standing reliance on imported refined products but also setting the pace for a sustainable and competitive refining industry that will benefit the broader economy.
She noted that the Dangote Group has become a nurturing ground for Nigerian engineers, scientists, and technicians, many of whom have gone on to work as expatriates in various countries.
Sessi urged the company to maintain its commitment to human capital development, staff welfare, and the overall well-being of the economy, emphasising that Aliko Dangote is a patriotic Nigerian fully dedicated to the nation’s progress.

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