By Okafor Joseph Afam
September 30, 2024

Dangote Group has revealed plans to transport refined petroleum products by sea to ease the strain on road networks and facilitate exports. The announcement was made on Sunday by Fatima Wali-Abdurrahman, Senior Adviser to the Group President on Special Projects and Strategic Relations.

Wali-Abdurrahman highlighted the construction of a jetty within the Lekki Free Zone, which played a critical role in handling bulk cargoes during the development of the Dangote Refinery.

“Today, we are exporting our products to many African countries through the seaport. We also plan to ease the pressure on the roads from the refinery by transporting finished petroleum products to other ports along the Nigerian coast by sea, for further distribution to the hinterland,” she said.

This strategic initiative aims to reduce road traffic while streamlining the movement of refined products to Nigerian ports and other African markets.

The statement also emphasized Dangote Group’s presence as a major sponsor at the ongoing trade fair organized by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), which drew large crowds interested in the company’s operations. The Dangote Oil Refinery, which recently commenced product discharges, was a focal point of attention.

Participants at the trade fair explored various business units of Dangote Group, including Dangote Fertiliser, Dangote Sugar, NASCON (Dangote Salt), and Dangote Cement, all of which attracted strong interest.

Peter Ibrahim, an attendee, shared his excitement about the opportunities the refinery offers: “I am here at the Dangote booth to find out what business and job opportunities are available at the Dangote Refinery. We know the company must have created several opportunities.”

Similarly, Sale Sagir, a cement dealer, stated, “Let me be honest. I came to this trade fair because of the Dangote Group. I sell cement, but now I have come to find out what it takes to be a distributor of other products, especially the Dangote Petroleum products.”

Wali-Abdurrahman further disclosed the company’s efforts to reduce its environmental impact, noting that Dangote has invested heavily in converting a third of its fleet to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) over the last decade, with plans to eventually convert the entire fleet.

The ACCI President, Chief Emeka Obegolu, praised the Dangote Group’s role in Nigeria’s industrialization. Represented by Aisha Abdullahi, Vice President Legal, he acknowledged the group’s “unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s development,” noting the significant contributions of its tax revenues to national infrastructure projects and social programmes benefiting millions of Nigerians.