Five African presidents to attend inauguration of Dangote Refinery on Monday

Five African presidents are expected to attend the inauguration of the Dangote Refinery alongside President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, May 22, 2023.

The dignitaries are President Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic, and President Mahamat Déby of Chad. 

Others are President Paul Kagame of Rwanda who will deliver a goodwill message virtually, amongst other hosts of ambassadors.

Sanford Group in a statement on Sunday said the historic event will also be graced by all the 36 state governors and most of the governors-elect, ministers, senators, and captains of industries in Nigeria and outside.

The company added that global oil traders, top international bankers, and international multilateral agencies “have indicated their readiness to grace the ceremony”.

“In an epoch-making event that will positively transform Nigeria’s oil and gas sectoral landscape, President Muhammadu Buhari will today commission Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, the world’s largest single train refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, alongside his counterparts from Ghana, Togo, Senegal, Niger, and Chad,” the statement reads.

“Promoted by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, the petroleum refinery with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), is sitting on 2,635 hectares of land located in Dangote Industries Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, and will employ over 100,000 persons.

“The coming onstream of the gigantic project is expected to mark Nigeria’s exit from the league of oil-rich nations which are heavy importers of petroleum products.

“Nigeria’s president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose administration as the governor of Lagos in 2002 floated the Free Trade Zone in Ibeju-Lekki where the refinery is located, is expected to be at the event.

“The commissioning of Dangote petroleum refinery is significant given that it is the first time that a refinery of such magnitude built by an individual is being commissioned.”

DRIVE CRUDE OIL PRODUCTION,  SURPLUS REFINED PRODUCTS

According to a factssheet on the facility, the refinery will be beneficial to not just Nigeria but other African countries.

“The Dangote refinery meets the needs of Nigerian consumers and those in neighbouring countries while allowing for exports beyond the African continent. The refinery will drive the promotion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as over 50 countries in the trade bloc depend on imported refined petroleum products,” it said.

The document also said the new refinery can meet 100 percent of the Nigerian requirement of all refined products (gasoline, 53 million litres per day; diesel, 34 million litres per day; kerosene, 10 million litres per day, and aviation jet, (2 million litres per day), and also have a surplus of each of these products for export.

“The refinery is designed for 100 percent Nigerian crude with the flexibility to process other crudes. It has self-sufficient marine facilities with the ability for freight optimisation, and the largest single order of five SPMs anywhere in the world. Diesel and gasoline products from the refinery will conform to euro V specifications,” the company added.

“The refinery design complies with World Bank, US EPA, European emission norms, and Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms. State-of-the-art technology. Designed to process a large variety of crudes including many of the African crudes, some of the Middle Eastern crudes, and the US light tight oil.”

“65 million cubic metres of sand dredged costing approximately euros 300 million, using the world’s largest, the second largest, and the tenth largest dredgers to elevate the height by 1.5 metres, to insure against any potential impact of the increase in mean sea level due to global warming. Bought over 1,209 units of various equipment to enhance the local capacity for site works.

“332 cranes to build up equipment installation capacity. Built the world’s largest granite quarry to supply coarse aggregate, stone column material, stone base, stone dust, and material for the breakwater. (10 million tonnes per year production capacity).

“Developed a port and constructed two quays with a load-bearing capacity of 25 tonnes/sq metres to bring over dimensional cargoes close to the site directly. The company also constructed two more quays in the port with a capacity to handle up to panamax vessels to export fertiliser and petrochemicals and two quays to handle liquid cargoes. The port will, thus have six quays, including a roll-on/roll-off quay.”