Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest oil refinery, produced its first batch of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, on Tuesday from its 650,000 barrels per day facility, marking a significant milestone for Nigeria’s energy sector, Okay.ng reports.
At a press conference held to commemorate the occasion, Aliko Dangote, the billionaire businessman and owner of the Lagos-based refinery, expressed his pride in the achievement, calling it a “celebration day” for Nigerians.
“This refinery will fuel growth, development, and prosperity by supplying energy to our people,” Dangote declared.
He also acknowledged the crucial role played by President Bola Tinubu’s administration in facilitating the refinery’s successful launch.
“I salute the people of Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu’s government for creating the conditions that allowed us to achieve this monumental task,” he added.
The refinery is expected to significantly boost Nigeria’s fuel production capacity, reducing the country’s dependence on imported petroleum products.
Dangote also praised President Tinubu for the “Naira for crude, Naira for product” initiative, a policy he believes will help stabilize the Naira by decreasing the demand for foreign currency by 40%.
