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Dangote refinery, a wonder of modern technology – Japan Ambassador, business community
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals complex has been hailed as an astonishing masterpiece, showcasing Nigeria’s technological advancements on the global stage.
KANO FOCUS reports that this accolade was shared by a delegation from the Japanese Business Community in Nigeria, led by Japan’s Ambassador-designate to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo. The Dangote Group also reiterated that its petroleum products are in demand worldwide, as it 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.
Managing Director of the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), Takashi Oku, remarked that while Nigeria remains the gateway to Africa, the Dangote Refinery stands as a remarkable project that showcases the country’s technological progress. He added that the facility, as the world’s largest single-train refinery, is a point of immense pride for Nigeria. JETRO is Japan’s governmental organisation for trade and investment.
“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,” he said.
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.
Managing Director of Itochu Nigeria Limited, Masahiro Tsuno, also praised the sheer size and automation of the Dangote Refinery, calling it a miracle and one of the wonders of the world.
“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 said. Tsuno 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, Devakumar Edwin, explained that the facility is the vision of a Nigerian investor- Aliko Dangote, designed and built by Nigerians, and intended to serve the global market.
He said that 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. Edwin assured the ambassador-designate and the delegation that the company is open to collaboration, always striving to maintain the best possible standards.
“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. 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,” he said.
Edwin also stated that the Dangote Petrochemical 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).
He confirmed that products from the refinery meet international standards and are already being exported globally.
“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,” he said.
He further added that 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.
Nura Abdullahi
Former Kano State Governor and vice presidential candidate, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has condemned comments attributed to Islamic cleric Sheikh Sani Yahaya Jingir at an event in Kano, describing them as divisive and capable of undermining national unity.
KANO FOCUS reports that Dr Kwankwaso, who expressed his position in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Monday, said statements promoting division and disunity should be discouraged, particularly at a critical period in the country’s history.
He said it was troubling that such remarks came from a religious leader with Sheikh Jingir’s influence and stature.
“At this critical moment in our nation’s history, statements that promote division and disunity must be firmly discouraged,” Dr Kwankwaso said.
He added that the people of Kano did not endorse or support what he described as the cleric’s divisive remarks.
“Let it be clearly stated: the good people of Kano do not endorse or support these divisive remarks,” he said.
Dr Kwankwaso urged political and religious leaders to uphold truth, promote unity and support reconciliation, warning that leaders should avoid statements capable of weakening Nigeria’s national cohesion.
“Political and religious leaders alike carry a solemn responsibility to uphold truth, foster unity, and advance reconciliation,” he said.
He said leaders should not lend their voices to utterances capable of undermining the foundation of Nigeria’s nationhood.
Kwankwaso attacks Tinubu administration ahead of 2027
Turning to the 2027 general elections, Dr Kwankwaso said the polls would provide Nigerians with an opportunity to assess the performance of the current administration.
He said voters would have the opportunity to reward good governance with strong electoral support and reject poor performance at the polls.
“This administration has earned the latter,” Mr Kwankwaso said, in an apparent reference to his call for voters to reject the administration at the 2027 elections.
He concluded his statement by praying for the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved a new salary structure for academic and non-academic staff of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil, and Northwest University, Kano.
KANO FOCUS reports that the new remuneration package, adopted from the Federal Government’s recently implemented salary structure for staff of federal universities, will take effect from January 2026, with payment scheduled to commence in September.
The approval was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
According to the statement, the decision followed the report and recommendations of a committee constituted by the Kano State Executive Council to review requests by the two state-owned universities for the domestication of the new federal university salary package.
The new salary review will cost the state government ₦391.85 million monthly, translating to ₦4.70 billion annually for the two institutions.
For ADUSTECH, Wudil, the monthly financial implication is ₦228.20 million, comprising ₦141.08 million for academic staff covered by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) agreement and ₦87.11 million for non-academic staff under the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
At Northwest University, Kano, the monthly cost is ₦163.65 million, comprising ₦112.24 million for academic staff and ₦51.41 million for non-academic staff.
The government has also approved the inclusion of ₦1.57 billion in the 2026 Supplementary Budget to cover the implementation from September to December 2026.
Similarly, arrears covering January to August 2026, estimated at ₦3.13 billion, will be provided for in the 2027 Budget.
The government said the salary review was aimed at promoting industrial harmony and improving the welfare of staff of the two institutions, in line with the remuneration package already being implemented in federal universities and some state-owned institutions.
Yusuf approves visitation panels
Governor Yusuf also approved the consideration of visitation panels for the two universities and other tertiary institutions in the state, in accordance with relevant laws.
The panels, according to the statement, are expected to strengthen accountability, administration and effective management of the institutions.
Gov Yusuf reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving workers’ welfare and strengthening the quality of higher education as part of its broader human capital development agenda.
The government said the measures were also intended to create a more conducive environment for academic and non-academic staff to contribute effectively to the development of the state’s tertiary education sector.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Tanzanian government has expressed interest in attracting more investments from Dangote Group in fertiliser production, energy and industrial infrastructure as part of efforts to accelerate the country’s long-term economic development.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Minister of State in the President’s Office responsible for Planning and Investment, Prof. Kitila A. Mkumbo, disclosed this during a visit by a Tanzanian delegation to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lagos.
Mr Mkumbo said the visit was part of efforts to follow up on discussions between Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, on expanding the company’s investment footprint in Tanzania.
He noted that Dangote Group already operates Tanzania’s largest cement manufacturing plant, with an investment estimated at about $800 million.
“We have come here to make a follow-up on what they deliberated with our President in terms of further Dangote investments in Tanzania,” Mr Mkumbo said.
He said Tanzania was particularly interested in Dangote Group’s experience in fertiliser production and refinery operations, describing the company’s industrial capabilities as valuable to Africa’s economic transformation.
### ‘Africa needs economic liberation’
The minister said stronger collaboration between Tanzania and Dangote Group would also contribute to greater economic integration across Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He said African countries had maintained strong political relations for decades but must now prioritise economic integration through industrialisation.
“Africa now needs economic liberation, and that can only come through industrialisation,” he said.
Mr Mkumbo described Mr Dangote as one of Africa’s leading industrialists, noting that his investments were increasingly expanding beyond Nigeria and contributing to industrial development across the continent.
He said Tanzania was ready to work with the Dangote Group as part of efforts to promote Pan-African industrialisation and expand manufacturing capacity across the region.
### Tanzania highlights refining capacity
The minister also stressed the importance of increasing local refining capacity to strengthen Africa’s energy security, particularly amid disruptions in the international oil market.
He referred to the impact of tensions around the Strait of Hormuz on global fuel prices, saying increased refining capacity through facilities such as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery could help African economies reduce their vulnerability to external shocks.
According to him, access to affordable and reliable energy remains a major driver of economic growth.
He said expanding refining capacity across Africa would help reduce energy costs, strengthen energy security and improve living conditions for millions of people.
The Tanzanian delegation’s visit is part of continuing engagements between the country’s government and Dangote Group to explore new opportunities for strategic investments, industrial development and regional economic integration.
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Gov. Yusuf approves salary increase for staff of two Kano universities
Tanzania seeks more Dangote investments in fertiliser, energy, infrastructure
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