President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, on Monday, May 22 disclosed that the newly commissioned 650,000pbd Dangote Petrochemical and Refinery Company presently has over 33,000 employees.

Dangote stated that the refinery would employ over 100,000 Nigerians youths as well as generate over $21 billion.

This, he said, would save Nigeria huge forex, that would have been used for fuel importation.

Dangote lamented that the current fuel crisis has had negative impact on the nation’s economy and that informed his decision to build a world class refinery that would change the trend and that though faced challenges but decided to trudge on.

Dangote: Why I invested over $18.5bn in refinery

He highlighted events leading to his firm deciding to build its own refinery after his attempt to acquire one of the existing moribund did not materialize, noting that he decided to change marketing strategy and settle for gigantic project ever undertaken by an individual world over.

According to him, the refinery plant would be run at the highest effective and efficient level for maximum benefits to all Nigerians, noting “we will replicate what we achieved in cement and fertilizer by attaining self-sufficiency and becoming net exporter.”

Dangote assured Nigerians that 40 per cent of the production capacity will be available for export with the coming on stream of the plant guaranteeing raw materials for plastic, and pharmaceutical industries.

The Star