In a significant development aimed at reinforcing Nigeria’s energy security and economic collaboration, President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has publicly affirmed that his $20 billion Dangote Refinery is not in competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC). Instead, he emphasized a new era of cooperation between both entities in the interest of national development.
Dangote made this known during a courtesy visit to the newly appointed Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, in Abuja. According to NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye, the visit was part of ongoing efforts to build a strategic partnership and eliminate perceived friction between the two major players in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
“There is no competition between us; we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd. NNPC is part and parcel of our business, and we are also part of NNPC,” Dangote said. “This is an era of cooperation between the two organisations.”
This statement comes amid ongoing speculation about a rivalry rooted in crude oil pricing, especially Dangote’s earlier claims that certain petroleum marketing cabals were sabotaging his refinery’s efforts. However, Dangote clarified that his concerns were not directed at the current NNPC board but rather at entrenched interests in the downstream marketing sector.
Dangote commended the new NNPC leadership, describing Ojulari’s appointment as strategic and timely. He noted that Ojulari faces enormous responsibilities but expressed confidence in the competence and capability of the NNPC team to overcome challenges and drive the sector forward.
Ojulari, in response, assured the Dangote Group of NNPC’s commitment to fostering a healthy, mutually beneficial relationship built on innovation and national interest. He lauded Dangote’s efforts in constructing Africa’s largest refinery, which is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependency on imported petroleum products and save billions of dollars in foreign exchange annually.
“We at NNPC are focused on building a legacy of national prosperity,” Ojulari said. “Our collaboration with the Dangote Group, particularly where there is commercial and strategic advantage for the country, will be sustained.”
He further praised the dedication and expertise of NNPC’s workforce, highlighting their professionalism and relentless drive to add value to Nigeria’s energy future.
The meeting concluded with both executives agreeing to serve as relationship managers for their respective institutions to ensure direct, sustained collaboration and open communication channels moving forward.
This latest development signals a positive shift in Nigeria’s oil and gas ecosystem, as the Dangote Refinery ramps up production capacity and NNPC intensifies its transformation efforts under new leadership. Stakeholders believe that genuine cooperation between these two giants could accelerate Nigeria’s journey toward full energy independence and economic self-reliance.