Business
Dangote Refinery Capable of Solving Nigeria’s Forex Problems, Catalysing Economic Development, Says S&P Global
International financial analytics corporation, S&P Global, has described the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals company as capable of resolving Nigeria’s foreign exchange (forex) issue and its huge pressure on the local Naira currency, while also catalysing the country’s economic development.
S&P Global, headquartered in Manhattan, New York City, disclosed this during an onsite visit to the Dangote Refinery at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos as part of its sovereign credit ratings assessment of Nigeria. The team from the international rating agency were accompanied by officials from the Federal Ministry of Finance.
S&P noted that the largest single-train refinery complex in the world would bolster Nigeria’s oil sector and, more importantly, also have a positive impact on its growing economy.
Director and Lead Analyst, Sovereign and International Public Finance Ratings, S&P Global Ratings, Ravi Bhatia, who led the delegation to Lagos, said Dangote refinery would transform Nigeria into a net exporter of petroleum products. He added that this transformation is expected to boost revenue generation and alleviate the current pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
“It is a very impressive facility, able to process 650,000 barrels a day, when in full capacity. It is the largest single-train refinery complex in the world. It came out quite quickly. Nigeria is a big exporter of crude but has issues with importing refined fuels. So, there is a gap in the market where crude can be refined in Nigeria, save money that way, and potentially save some foreign exchange. This will be positive for the economy in the medium term. It looks positive from our assessment,” Bhatia said after an over four-hour tour of the facility.
Also, in a chat with the media, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin, who led the team during the tour of the facility, reiterated that by harnessing Africa’s abundant crude oil resources to produce refined products locally, the company aims to catalyse a virtuous cycle of industrial development, job creation, and economic prosperity. He also revealed that, as earlier promised, the company will start the production of premium motor spirit (PMS), this month (July).
Noting that products from the $20 billion facility are of high quality and meet international standards, Edwin said it can meet 100 per cent of Nigeria’s demand for petrol, diesel, kerosene, and aviation Jet, with surpluses available for export.
The S&P team commended the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, for integrating advanced technologies and quality control measures, including a state-of-the-art Central Control Unit ensuring smooth automation of operations.
Other members of the team of the international rating agency include the Associate Director, Sovereign Ratings, Maxmillian McGraw; Director, Corporate Ratings, Omegu Collocott; Senior Analyst, Bank Ratings, Charlotte Masvongo, and Director, Financial Services, Samira Mensah.
Currently operating at 350,000 barrels per day capacity, Edwin said the refinery is slated to scale up to at least 500,000 barrels per day capacity by July/August, commencing the refining of petrol and ultra-low sulphur diesel.
He noted that the refinery, designed to process a wide range of crudes including various African and Middle Eastern crudes, as well as US Light Oil, conforms to Euro V specifications. In addition, it is designed to comply with US EPA, European Union (EU) emission norms, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) emission/effluent norms, and the African Refiners and Distribution Association (ARDA) standards.
While noting that most refineries were built by foreign companies, he said it is a thing of pride that a Nigerian company designed and built the world’s largest single-train refinery complex while acting directly as its own Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor. The refinery also incorporates a self-sufficient marine facility capable of handling the world’s largest vessels.
“The refinery can produce the best quality products in the world, Euro V grade. It is one of the energy-efficient refineries and it is highly environmentally friendly. It is sophisticated with a high level of automation. The largest single train refinery in the world is 100 per cent designed, engineered, and constructed by a Nigerian company as EPC contractor,” he said.
Nigeria, one of the world’s leading oil-producing countries, exports all its crude oil for refining and subsequently imports refined products due to a lack of operational refineries. It is estimated that Nigeria imports at least 50 million litres of petrol per day to meet domestic demand.
According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its Foreign Trade Statistics for the Fourth Quarter of 2023, Nigeria spent approximately N12 trillion on the importation of petroleum products in 2023, including premium motor spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol. This figure marks an 18.68% increase compared to the N10 trillion spent on fuel imports in 2022.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has achieved a major operational milestone with the full restoration and optimisation of its Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) and Motor Spirit (MS) production block. Both units are now running at optimal performance, further strengthening the steady state operations of Africa’s largest oil refining facility.
Following a scheduled maintenance exercise on the CDU and MS Block, the refinery has commenced an intensive 72 hour series of performance test runs in collaboration with licensor UOP. These tests are designed to validate operational efficiency and confirm that all critical parameters meet global standards.
Chief Executive Officer, David Bird, noted that the seamless integration and strong performance of the units demonstrate the refinery’s advanced engineering and robust operational capabilities.
“Our teams have demonstrated exceptional precision and expertise in stabilising both the CDU and MS Block, and we are pleased to see them functioning at optimal efficiency. This performance testing phase enables us to validate the entire plant under real operating conditions. We are confident that the refinery remains firmly on track to deliver consistent, world class output.
This milestone underscores the strength, reliability, and engineering quality that define our operations. We remain committed to producing high quality refined products that will transform Nigeria’s energy landscape, eliminate import dependence, and position the nation as a net exporter of petroleum products.”
Bird added that the CDU and MS Block, which comprise the naphtha hydrotreater, isomerisation unit, and reformer unit, are now operating steadily at the full nameplate capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. He further confirmed that all remaining processing units will begin their respective performance test runs in Phase 2, scheduled to commence next week.
During the recent festive period, the refinery supplied between 45–50 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) daily. With the CDU and MS Block now fully restored, the refinery is positioned to comfortably deliver up to 75 million litres of PMS to the domestic market as required.
Expressing appreciation to customers and Nigerians across the country, Bird reaffirmed the refinery’s unwavering commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s energy security while supporting industrial development, job creation, and economic diversification.
Business
Corpreneurship Challenge: Unity Bank Announces Fresh Graduates of OAU, UNN, Others As Winners
Unity Bank Plc has announced winners in the 27th edition of its flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, also known as Corpreneurship Challenge, following the conclusion of Business Pitch at the Batch C, Stream 2 edition of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation programme held across 10 states of the federation.
Notably, Corps Members who graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), The Polytechnic, Ibadan, amongst several tertiary institutions, emerged from the latest round of the Corpreneurship Challenge business pitch. Participants pitched business ideas across diverse sectors such as fashion, agribusiness, footwear production, and services.
At the Lagos State NYSC Orientation Camp, Awolumate Fawaz Babatunde, a Civil Engineering graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, emerged the overall winner after pitching a fashion design business, clinching the N800,000 grand prize. Ugwoke Daniel Ifechukwu, a graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, emerged first runner-up to receive N500,000.
In Rivers State, Abdur-Razaq Sayfullah Adebola, a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, topped the competition at the Nonwa Gbam Tai NYSC Orientation Camp with a footwear-making business plan. Meanwhile, Olatunde Esther Funmilayo of Olabisi Onabanjo University emerged as the winner at the Kwara State NYSC Orientation Camp after impressing judges with her deodorant production and services pitch.
More winners emerged from Abuja, Niger, Adamawa, Jigawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Delta States, further expanding the geographical reach and impact of the initiative.
Speaking on the latest edition of the programme, Mrs. Adenike Abimbola, Divisional Head, Retail, SME & E-Business at Unity Bank Plc, said the Corpreneurship Challenge continues to reflect the Bank’s commitment to youth empowerment and enterprise development.
“The Corpreneurship Challenge has been driven by our commitment to boosting entrepreneurship among young people, especially fresh graduates. At Unity Bank, we recognise that many young Nigerians possess viable business ideas but lack the initial capital and support to bring them to life. The Corpreneurship Challenge was designed to bridge that gap by providing financial backing, mentorship, and confidence to fresh graduates at a critical stage of their lives,” she said.
She added that the quality of ideas presented by corps members across states underscores the growing entrepreneurial appetite among Nigerian youths.
“What we see every edition is innovation, resilience, and a strong desire among young graduates to create value and jobs. By supporting them early, we are not only helping individuals, but also contributing to the growth of the SME ecosystem and the broader economy,” Abimbola noted.
Over the years, the Unity Bank Corpreneurship Challenge has become a key feature of the NYSC orientation programme, delivered in partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative. Since its inception, the programme has produced 638 young entrepreneurs nationwide, offering grants of up to N300 million to help corps members kick-start or scale their businesses.
The initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s drive to promote entrepreneurship and self-employment among graduates, particularly amid the shrinking availability of white-collar jobs.
Unity Bank said it remains committed to expanding the reach of the Corpreneurship Challenge and deepening its support for young entrepreneurs as part of its broader strategy to drive financial inclusion, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
