President Muhammadu Buhari has described the newly commissioned Dangote refinery and petrochemical plant in Lagos as one that will have transformative impact on the downstream petroleum products markets throughout Africa.
He made this revelation at the commissioning of the refinery and petrochemical plant at Ibeju Lekki, Lagos State on Monday.
President Buhari, who was addressing the high profile gathering which includes the leaders of West African countries like Ghana, Togo, Niger, Senegal, Chad, political and business leaders from Nigeria described the facility as having the capacity to make Nigeria self-sufficient and export to countries across the continent.
He described the establishment of the plant as a significant boost for Nigeria’s economy and emphasized how having such a major breakthrough will help the nation and continent build more facilities that will help make both self-sufficient.
He said, ‘‘this mega industry we are commissioning today is a clear example of what can be achieved when entrepreneurs are encouraged and supported and when an enabling environment is created for investments and for businesses to thrive.”
“I urge and encourage our other great entrepreneurs to emulate this iconic Nigerian industrialist and join the Government in accelerating our growth in order to realize our country’s globally recognized economic potential.”
President Buhari declared that he is confident that his successor is capable of sustaining his government’s policies and build on them to develop the country.
‘‘I am confident that my successor, His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, will sustain the improvement in our economic and business environment and strengthen the framework of our public-private partnership policies to accelerate the pace of our economic growth and development. I am happy to leave our economy in very competent hands.”
President Buhari also called on African leaders to synergize to create enabling environments that will harness it’s human and natural resources for the development of the continent.
‘‘when I travel around Africa and meet and engage my brother Heads of State, I often sense a quiet expectation that our country is blessed with resources and human capacity to lead Africa’s rise to economic prosperity and the attainment of Agenda 2063 – ‘The Africa we all want.’
‘‘but to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063, Africa must come together. We must integrate our economies, eliminate barriers to trade and energize our youthful population to scale up our productive capacity.”
‘‘we must create necessary conditions for our private sector to grow and partner with the public sector to accelerate economic growth across the continent.”
‘‘we must not allow outside powers to use some of our leaders to destabilize our economic and political trajectory.”
