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Students from various tertiary institutions across Nigeria, under the auspices of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), have expressed strong support for the Dangote Refinery. They condemned recent efforts by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC Ltd) to undermine the refinery, calling these actions a significant disservice to Nigeria’s economy.
The endorsement came in the wake of allegations that NNPCL management attempted to bribe student leaders with $250,000 to deter their support for the Dangote Refinery amid ongoing tensions between the two entities.
Following a tour of the refinery’s facilities in Lagos, student leaders from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education voiced their admiration for the project. They argued that only those opposed to Nigeria’s progress would seek to discredit such a monumental initiative, which aims to end the nation’s fuel import dependency and conserve foreign exchange.
NANS Senate President Akinteye Afiz, addressing Dangote Refinery’s management, explained that the students’ visit was motivated by reports claiming the refinery was incomplete and substandard. However, their firsthand experience revealed the refinery’s impressive scale and capabilities.
“We are representing the voices of all Nigerian students,” Afiz declared. “The government should mandate all fuel marketers to source from Dangote Refinery to alleviate the current fuel shortages. If others wish to compete, they should build their own refineries.
We reject the notion that government-owned refineries should remain non-operational while opposing a functioning alternative. Dangote Refinery is here to stay, and we have found all negative claims to be unfounded.”
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Afiz further emphasized the refinery’s potential, highlighting its world-class laboratory and the project’s significant benefits for Nigeria’s economy. He urged the government to protect Dangote Refinery from sabotage.
Earlier, Devakumar Edwin, Vice-President of Dangote Industries Limited, welcomed the students and expressed gratitude for their support and refusal of financial inducements. He acknowledged President Tinubu’s intervention, which included a directive for crude to be sold to Dangote Refinery in Naira, as a positive development for the country.
Edwin outlined the broader impact of the refinery, noting that it could meet 43% of domestic fuel demand while exporting the remainder to boost foreign exchange earnings. He questioned the motive behind attempts to undermine the refinery, contrasting it with the government’s failed refineries.
Citing past successes in local sugar and cement production, Edwin reaffirmed Dangote’s commitment to investing in Nigeria and transforming its fuel industry. He criticized attempts to frustrate the refinery’s success, citing that Dangote chose to invest in Nigeria despite offers from Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, aiming to enhance the country’s economic landscape.
Dangote Industries remains dedicated to adding value to Nigeria’s economy through strategic investments and job creation, reaffirming its commitment to national development despite ongoing challenges.
