The Chairman and CEO of the Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote, recently met with Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickson Mitchell to discuss a potential trade deal aimed at strengthening trade relations between Nigeria and Grenada, as well as the broader Caribbean region.
The meeting occurred on Thursday at the Dangote Refinery’s $20 billion petrochemical plant in Lagos, where Prime Minister toured the refinery, fertilizer plant, and other facilities, according to Nairametrics.
Dangote emphasized Mitchell’s dual role as both Prime Minister of Grenada and Chairman of the Caribbean States, highlighting the significance of this collaboration for regional trade.
Dangote added that their discussions centered on establishing a deal that would facilitate the import of crude oil from the Caribbean while enabling the sale of petroleum products to the region.
This arrangement aims to enhance mutual benefits and strengthen economic ties between Nigeria and Caribbean nations.
“The prime minister is not only the prime minister of Grenada. He is also the chairman of the Caribbean States. We are looking at also cement. We are looking at maybe to buy some crude from them.
“Also, we are looking to sell some of our petroleum products to them. You know, we export everywhere,” Dangote told pressman.
In his address, Prime Minister Dickson Mitchell praised the Dangote Refinery project, calling it a significant achievement not only for Nigeria but for Africa as a whole.
He commended the refinery’s advanced technology, automation, and the skills of its workforce, particularly noting the impressive sight of young engineers working in the laboratory at the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility.
“This is an amazing achievement and accomplishment. This is a tribute to what a great vision Mr. Dangote has, not just for his country, but also for Africa.
“It’s been a wonderful experience. The skill, depth, sophistication and automation. It’s also amazing seeing many young Nigerians particularly in the lab,” he added.
The Dangote Refinery, with a processing capacity of 650,000 barrels of oil per day, is set to become the largest refinery in both Africa and Europe once fully operational, anticipated to achieve this milestone within the year or next.
The project aims to significantly reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products, promoting greater self-sufficiency in the country’s energy sector.
