President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has clarified that the Dangote Refinery is not in competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
This clarification was made during Dangote’s visit to the new NNPC Group Chief Executive Officer, Bayo Ojulari, in Abuja, as part of ongoing efforts to foster mutual cooperation. According to a statement released Friday by NNPC’s spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, the visit aimed to promote healthy collaboration between the state-owned oil company and the privately-owned refinery.
Dangote emphasized the importance of partnership over rivalry, stating, “There is no competition between us; we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd. 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.”
His comments come amid recent tensions, particularly around crude oil supply in naira, which had stirred perceptions of rivalry. Dangote had previously alleged that certain cabals—major marketers, not the new NNPC board—were undermining the $20 billion refinery’s operations. However, the latest meeting marked a move towards strategic alignment.
During the meeting, Dangote pledged full collaboration with the new NNPC leadership to bolster Nigeria’s energy security. He congratulated Ojulari and his senior management team on their appointments, acknowledging the scale of their responsibilities and expressing confidence in their capacity to deliver.
In response, NNPC GCEO Ojulari assured Dangote of a partnership grounded in healthy competition and joint value creation. He praised NNPC’s workforce as talented, dedicated, and committed to national progress.
Ojulari affirmed the company’s readiness to build a legacy of prosperity through innovation and cooperation, saying that collaboration with the Dangote Group would be sustained, especially where it benefits the nation commercially.
The statement concluded by noting that both leaders agreed to personally serve as relationship managers for their respective organizations, committing to continuous cooperation and a vision of limitless shared opportunities.
