Dangote: My refinery is not competing with NNPC

President and CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has stated that the Dangote Refinery is not in competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) but is working in alignment with it to achieve energy security for Nigeria.

Dangote made this clarification during a visit to the new NNPC Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, in Abuja.

According to a statement by NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye on Friday, the high-level meeting was focused on strengthening cooperation between the two major players in Nigeria’s energy 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. This is an era of cooperation between the two organisations,” Dangote said during the meeting.

In recent times, there have been reports of tension between the state-owned oil company and the $20 billion Dangote Refinery, particularly concerning the supply of crude oil in naira. Dangote had previously accused certain elements—specifically major marketers—of working against the refinery’s progress, although he made it clear that the current NNPC board was not among them.

During the visit, Dangote expressed a willingness to work closely with the new NNPC leadership. He congratulated Ojulari and his senior management team on their appointments, noting the significant challenges they face and expressing confidence in their capacity to deliver results.

The two organisations agreed to strengthen ties and collaborate on strategies aimed at bolstering Nigeria’s energy infrastructure and fostering economic growth.

Ojulari, in his response, reiterated NNPC’s readiness to build a mutually beneficial partnership with the Dangote Group.

He praised the talent within the company, describing the workforce as “dedicated, highly skilled, and hardworking professionals who are consistently keen on delivering value for Nigeria.”

NNPC, he said, would continue to partner with the Dangote Group wherever such collaboration could offer commercial advantages for the country.

“Both executives also committed to being the relationship managers for their respective organisations through sustained productive collaboration and healthy competition, thereby envisioning limitless opportunities for both organisations,” the statement concluded.