The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has clarified that the Dangote refinery does not compete with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
In a statement issued on Friday, NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye disclosed that Dangote made this clarification during his visit to the new Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Bayo Ojulari, in Abuja.
Soneye explained that the visit formed part of ongoing efforts to build mutually beneficial partnerships and encourage healthy competition between NNPC and the Dangote refinery.
Observers had previously noted signs of rivalry between the $20 billion refinery and the state-owned energy giant, particularly over crude oil supply in naira.
Recently, Dangote accused certain cabals—specifically major marketers—of working against his refinery. However, he emphasized that the new NNPC board was not involved in such activities.
During the meeting, Dangote pledged to work closely with the new NNPC management to strengthen Nigeria’s energy security.
“We are not competing with NNPC Ltd. There is no competition. 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 stated.
Both companies committed to deepening collaboration to enhance Nigeria’s energy security and promote shared prosperity.
Dangote congratulated Ojulari and his senior management team on their appointments. He acknowledged the weight of the responsibilities before them but expressed confidence in their ability to deliver, citing the capable professionals within NNPC.
In response, Ojulari assured Dangote of a strong partnership based on healthy competition and effective collaboration.
He praised the NNPC workforce for its dedication, skill, and commitment to delivering value for Nigeria. Ojulari also reaffirmed the company’s commitment to national prosperity through innovation and a shared vision.
He stated that NNPC would continue collaborating with the Dangote Group, particularly in areas that offer commercial benefits to Nigeria adding that he two executives also agreed to act as relationship managers for their respective organizations, aiming to drive continuous collaboration and healthy competition while unlocking new opportunities for both sides, the statement concluded.
