Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the African Union (AU) High Representative for Silencing the Guns and Chairman of the AU High-Level Panel on Sudan, has paid a working visit to the Dangote Refinery in Lagos, Nigeria.
The Dangote Refinery is an oil refinery owned by Dangote Group, which was inaugurated on 22 May 2023, in Lagos, Nigeria.
Dr Chambas in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency said, he was conducted around the mega refinery by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the Chairman of the Dangote Group.
“I was totally overwhelmed by what I saw. It is a sprawling industrial complex. The scale of it is awesome and mind-blowing; it has to be seen to be believed,” Dr Chambas stated.
“This world class refinery is a testament to Aliko Dangote’s foresight, Nigerian ingenuity and African entrepreneurship at its best.”
Dr Chambas highly commended Alhaji Dangote for his business acumen, courage, tenacity, and “vision matched with action” in driving through such a mega project to its conclusion.
He noted that Alhaji Dangote had cemented his status as the true leader of the African Private Sector.
Dr Chambas said: “I believe these are the types of transformational projects that would propel Africa out of poverty”.
He reiterated that projects like the Dangote Refinery create jobs, had multiplier effect on the national and regional economies, provide cheaper and reliable fuel for transportation, agriculture, and industries; declaring that in short, they lubricate the real economy.
He said the Dangote Group was leading the way for the private sector in Africa, which had a pivotal role to play in the fight against poverty and in creating opportunities for the youth.
Adding that this was a veritable pathway to Silencing the Guns.
Dr Chambas took the opportunity to salute President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, for his bold and forthright decision to ensure provision of regular and dependable supplies of Nigeria crude oil to the Dangote Refinery.
He said as a successful entrepreneur in his own right with a proud record of success in the private sector in the past, President Tinubu understands the challenges and has demonstrated commitment to creating an enabling business environment in Nigeria in general, and the smooth operation of the refinery in particular.
Dr Chambas encouraged all Africans across the continent and in the diaspora to visit the Dangote Refinery for inspiration.
He said a visit to the Refinery provides an insight into the tremendous potential and hope there was, not only for Nigeria but, indeed, for the entire African continent.
