Francis Meshioye, the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), says that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery needs all the support of Nigerians – the government, regulators and Marketers, to enable it to perform optimally.
“The Refinery will be a reliable source of fuel and petrochemical products that are essential for capacity utilisation and value addition in the manufacturing sector,” said Meshioye.Meshioye.
Meshioye recently toured the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petrol Chemical Complex and Fertilizer Plant at Ibeju – Lekki, Lagos.
He said: ” The company has the capacity to produce all our needs locally – petroleum, and other similar products; no one would come to the facility and would not be inspired or encouraged to ensure that all the support that the company requires should be given to it. It is prudent and expedient that the necessary support is given to the company for the economic benefits of Nigeria.”
He said that the support of both Nigerians and the government for the refinery will also serve as an impetus for other investors to invest in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry in the country.
Meshioye described the refinery as a game-changer in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, adding that it is not only creating jobs and driving economic growth but also contributing to the nation’s energy security and self-sufficiency.
Meshioye said that apart from the fact that the facility can give Nigerians what they need locally, the excess will be exported and bring benefits to the country because it will earn foreign exchange for the government. So, whichever way we look at it, the facility requires the government’s support to be able to operate optimally.
“I believe that the success of the Dangote Refinery serves as an inspiration to all of us in the manufacturing sector,” he said.