Dangote Refinery has officially rolled out 1,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks, a move that is set to generate 24,000 jobs, according to Aliko Dangote, the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group. This announcement was made during a conference in Lagos, celebrating the one-year anniversary since the refinery began producing petrol from its impressive 650,000 barrels per day capacity.
The release of these trucks marks the initial phase of the company’s direct fuel distribution initiative. In his address, Dangote revealed plans to increase refining capacity from the current 650,000 bpd to 700,000 bpd next year, as part of the company’s ongoing efforts to boost job creation and stimulate economic growth within the country.
Reflecting on the past year, Dangote shared that Nigeria's long-standing issues with fuel queues have diminished thanks to the operations at the $2 billion facility. He highlighted a significant drop in petrol prices, noting that the cost has fallen from N1,100 per litre last year to N841.
“Despite facing opposition and economic challenges, we have been able to lower petrol prices from nearly N1,100 to N841 in regions including the South West, Abuja, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Kwara. With the launch of these CNG-powered trucks, we expect this price reduction to reach every corner of the nation,” he stated.
Furthermore, Dangote expressed support for the Federal Government's ambitious goal of reaching a $1 trillion economy by 2031, describing it as attainable. He encouraged more Nigerians to invest in the local economy, emphasizing the collective benefits of such actions in alignment with the government's job creation and economic growth objectives.
Addressing the historical fuel crisis that has plagued Nigeria since 1975, he noted that the situation has steadily improved since the refinery commenced petrol production on September 15, 2024. “We’ve been facing fuel queues for decades, but now Nigerians are entering a new era,” he remarked.
While acknowledging the various challenges the refinery has faced, Dangote reaffirmed the company's dedication to both Nigeria and Africa as a whole. “The journey has been tough, especially since we aimed to revolutionize the downstream sector in Nigeria. Some feared that our efforts would threaten their livelihoods, but that’s simply not the case. Our goal has always been to elevate our country and continent. Not long ago, there were only two African countries that weren't reliant on petrol imports—unfortunately, they too have resumed imports, which is a setback for Africa,” he commented.
He further highlighted that the refinery is fully equipped to satisfy Nigeria's domestic fuel needs while also generating foreign exchange through exports. Between June and the first week of September this year, the facility exported more than 1.1 billion litres of petrol, demonstrating its capacity to meet local demand and significantly contribute to foreign exchange earnings.
On the subject of job creation, he stressed that the refinery aims not to replace existing jobs but to create thousands of new ones. “The introduction of 4,000 CNG-powered trucks will lead to a creation of at least 24,000 jobs across Nigeria. We are not displacing jobs; we’re expanding them. And rest assured, these CNG trucks will not be operated by robots,” he assured.