United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili, has arrived Nigeria on special invitation to attend the official commissioning of the Dangote Refinery commissioning in Lagos today.
This was confirmed in a statement made available on the official twitter handle of Nigeria Immigration Service.
According to the statement, the International Diplomat was warmly received and seamlessly cleared through Immigration diplomatic protocol on behalf of, and with esteemed regards from, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Isah Jere Idris.
Promoted by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, the petroleum refinery with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) is sitting on 2,635 hectares of land located in Dangote Industries Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, and will provide employment to over 100,000 people.
The coming onstream of the gigantic project is expected to mark Nigeria’s exit from the league of oil-rich nations which are heavy importers of petroleum products.
The commissioning of Dangote Petroleum Refinery is significant given that it is the first time that a refinery of such magnitude built by an individual is being commissioned.
Dangote’s petroleum refinery is expected to meet the needs of Nigerian consumers and those in neighbouring countries, while allowing for export beyond the African continent.
The refinery will drive the promotion of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as over 50 countries in the trade bloc depend on imported refined petroleum products.
According to the Facts Sheet on Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the new refinery can meet 100% of the Nigerian requirement of all refined products (gasoline, 53 million litres per day; diesel, 34 million litres per day; kerosene, 10 million litres per day, and Aviation Jet, 2 million litres per day) and also have surplus of each of these products for export.
By Ajibola Adedoye