Dangote Petroleum Refinery, a wonder of modern technology: Japanese Ambassador-designate

*Suzuki Hideo, Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, applauds the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex, in Lagos, as ‘an astonishing masterpiece’, showcasing the West African country’s technological advancements on the global stage

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Suzuki Hideo, Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, has hailed the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex, located in Lagos as an astonishing masterpiece, showcasing the West African country’s technological advancements on the global stage.

Dangote Group, in a statement Sunday, December 15, 2024, disclosed Hideo said this when he led a delegation from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, to the oil-refining facility in Lagos.

The conglomerate also reiterated that its petroleum products are in demand worldwide.

According to Dangote Group, the Refinery expands its polypropylene section to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported polypropylene, a crucial material used in packaging, textiles, and the automotive manufacturing industries.

The Japanese delegation, which toured the impressive facilities housing both the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals as well as Dangote Fertilisers, commended the state-of-the-art technology on display, noting that it reinforces Nigeria’s role as the gateway to Africa.

The statement also noted Takashi Oku, Managing Director of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), remarked that as Nigeria remains the gateway to Africa, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery also stands as a remarkable project that showcases the country’s technological progress.

JETRO is Japan’s governmental organisation for trade and investment.

Oku averred that as the world’s largest single-train refinery, the plant is a point of immense pride for Nigeria.

The Managing Director of JETRO stated: “We had heard about the excellence of the Dangote Refinery through the media but seeing it in person has left us truly amazed by its vastness and grandeur.

“It demonstrates that Nigeria’s population is not only growing but also advancing in technology.

“We are keen to collaborate with Nigerian companies, especially Dangote Refinery.”

Emphasising that the refinery has bolstered Nigeria’s leading position in Africa, he further noted that the facility serves as an ideal introduction to the country for the global community.

Likewise, Masahiro Tsuno, Managing Director of Itochu Nigeria Limited, during the visit, applauded the sheer size and automation of the Dangote Refinery, calling it a miracle and one of the wonders of the world.

Tsuno said: “I’ve seen many standalone refineries across the globe, including in Vietnam and the Middle East.

“However, this size of a refinery built by one single investor is probably a miracle in the world. “And I’m just actually witnessing a miracle, to be honest, today.”

He also indicated that his company would seek collaboration with the refinery across various sectors, including polypropylene and other petroleum products.

Commending the ambassador-designate and his team, which described the Dangote Petroleum Refinery as a wonder of modern technology, Vice-President of Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin, explained that the facility is the vision of a Nigerian investor- Aliko Dangote.

Edwin said that the facility was designed and built by Nigerians, but intended to serve the global market.

The Vice-President of Oil and Gas at DIL, averred it is a point of pride that a Nigerian company not only designed, but also built the world’s largest single-train refinery complex.

Dangote Industries Limited, a Nigerian company, acted as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for the refinery.

In the process, cutting-edge technologies from around the world were incorporated to ensure that the facility meets the highest standards, the Dangote Group stated.

Edwin further assured the ambassador-designate and the delegation that the company is open to collaboration, always striving to maintain the best possible standards.

He noted: “Even now, we have a lot of Japanese equipment inside both the refinery and the fertiliser plant.

“There are significant opportunities for collaboration, as we always seek the latest technology in any business we engage in.”

Edwin also explained: “For instance, our cement plant laboratory is managed by robots, and we always embrace advanced technology.

“With Japan’s focus on technological innovation, there is ample scope for cooperation and for supplying various types of technology.”

The Dangote Petrochemicals project will significantly boost investment in downstream industries, creating substantial value, generating employment, increasing tax revenues, reducing Foreign Exchange outflows, and contributing to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), said he.

The Vice-President of Oil and Gas of DIL confirmed that products from the refinery meet international standards and are already being exported globally.

Edwin disclosed “in recent weeks, we’ve exported petrol to Cameroon, Ghana, Angola, and South Africa among others.

“Diesel has gone all over the world, and jet fuel is being heavily exported to European markets.

“Our products are already making their mark internationally.”

By leveraging Africa’s vast crude oil resources to produce refined products locally, the Dangote Group aims to create a virtuous cycle of industrial development, job creation, and economic prosperity, Edwin stated.

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