The Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has urged Nigerians to unite in supporting the Dangote refinery project.
He also cautioned against any attempts to hinder its progress.
News About Nigeria reports that his statement comes amid a dispute between the refinery and Nigerian regulatory authorities.
The Dangote refinery has accused the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) of failing to ensure a steady supply of domestic crude oil, a claim the NUPRC denied.
Despite the NUPRC’s assertion that it facilitated the supply of 29 million barrels of crude oil to the refinery, Dangote claims it never received the crude.
Atiku said this in a post on Saturday via his official X handle.
The ex-VP emphasised the significance of the Dangote Refinery Project, stating it has the potential to address Nigeria’s energy and foreign exchange needs.
He expressed concern over potential sabotage and urged Nigerians to take decisive action to ensure the project’s success.
Atiku used the analogy of parents preparing for a child’s arrival to illustrate the importance of nurturing investments.
He warned against deliberate attempts to impede the refinery’s progress and called on Nigerians to take collective action to ensure its success.
On June 4, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, revealed that international oil companies struggled to supply crude to his refinery.
However, Gbenga Komolafe, CEO of NUPRC, disputed this claim on July 15, citing provisions in the Petroleum Industry Act that guide willing buyer-willing seller transactions.
Despite Komolafe’s denial, Dangote Industries Limited insisted that international oil companies were frustrating its efforts to purchase crude feedstock for the refinery.
