Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed his commitment to empowering Nigerian engineers and growing local capacity through landmark industrial projects. Speaking during a visit by the Lagos Branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, Dangote admitted the refinery’s sheer scale exceeded initial expectations.
“Honestly, if we had fully understood the magnitude and challenges, we might not have even attempted it,” he said. “But our courage—or perhaps naivety—pushed us through.”
He explained that the refinery was designed to process significant volumes, with about 600 product vessels and 240 crude tankers expected annually. Construction challenges included swampy terrain, manual removal of thousands of trees, and the dredging of 65 million cubic metres of sand—all done while protecting local fishing communities.
Addressing questions on opportunities for Nigerian engineers, Dangote highlighted his focus on local talent. “Even if we don’t have enough jobs for everyone, we must still train people. Skills are assets—whether used here or abroad. Nigeria must start exporting knowledge, not just oil,” he said.
Initially planned to involve 50,000 foreign workers, the project ended up using only 12,000 to 14,000 expatriates. “Eighty-five per cent of the commissioning was done by Nigerians. Today, we are our own EPC contractors,” Dangote noted.
Chairman of the NSE Lagos Branch, Mrs. Olukorede Kesha, described the refinery as a major engineering feat for Africa and praised the significant involvement of Nigerian professionals. “If more of these kinds of developments happen, unemployment and poverty will become history,” she said.
She added that the visit served as an inspiration for engineers and a testament to Nigeria’s potential to lead in industrial development and global engineering exports.
