The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, Bayo Ojulari, has outlined reasons Nigerians should be grateful to God for the Dangote Refinery.
He said the plant is a major relief to the country’s oil and gas sector.
Ojulari spoke on Wednesday at the International Energy Summit, 2026, in Abuja, where he said the 650,000-barrel-per-day Dangote Refinery has helped ease pressure in Nigeria’s fuel supply system.
According to him, the current management of the NNPCL has deliberately adopted a collaborative approach rather than a confrontational relationship with the privately owned refinery.
While noting that Dangote Refinery is yet to fully meet Nigeria’s domestic fuel requirements, Ojulari said its operations have significantly reduced the country’s exposure to supply disruptions.
“Thank God for Dangote Refinery. Thank God. Whether you love Dangote or you hate him, say whatever you want to say, Nigerians should thank God for Dangote,” Ojulari said to loud applause from participants.
“Thank God he’s a Nigerian. He’s not someone from another continent or another planet. Despite everything, that gave us an opportunity because we have a refinery that is working,” he added.
“Yes, it may not meet our full needs, but it gives us a breathing space. And luckily, we are shareholders in that refinery as well,” he noted.
Ojulari further stressed that cooperation with the refinery remains central to NNPCL’s strategy.
“Our strategy is to collaborate with the Dangote Refinery and maximise the value delivered to Nigerians,” he said.
His remarks come amid a recent increase in fuel prices nationwide, following a rise in ex-depot prices, by Dangote Refinery and other depot owners.
