The management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals has disclosed that the 650,000 barrels per day project would create jobs for not less than 250,000 Nigerians when completed and fully operational next year.
Group Executive Director, Strategy and Capital Projects, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, told reporters at the site that the company’s Refinery has potential to turn around Nigeria’s economy with the employment of thousands for direct and indirect jobs.
He said the huge unemployment rate of Nigerian youths and the need to make the country self-reliant in fuel consumption and attract much needed foreign exchange through export of the products were reasons that motivated the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote to venture into manufacturing.
The Dangote Group boss said he was very optimistic that the refinery will be a game changer for Nigeria and the rest of Africa.
According to him, the Dangote Industries Limited has succeeded in substantially reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country, with the conglomerate already recruiting youths its various agricultural scheme and also into its other subsidiaries. Dangote Industries Limited is the highest employer of labour outside the federal government.
In the same vein, Edwin also assured that, other things being equal, Dangote Fertilizer plant’s products will hit the market this month.
He said Dangote Fertiliser Limited has a well-equipped fertiliser soil testing laboratory to ensure efficiency of the product for farmers.
He explained: “The laboratory will enable us analyse and identify a particular soil deficiency. Applying the right fertiliser to soil will enable it yield maximum result. The goal of our soil testing is to provide an accurate assessment of the soil’s fertility to make fertiliser recommendations.
“A proper soil test will help ensure the application of enough fertiliser to meet the requirements of the crop while taking advantage of the nutrients already present in the soil.”
Speaking on Dangote Refinery’s employment generation capacity, Director- General at Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Olawale Timothy, lauded the promotion of the refinery saying the potential to create 250,000 direct and indirect jobs on completion will greatly reduce crime and poverty in Nigeria.
