The Chairman of the Northern Christian Association, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, has called on Christians to take part in the ongoing Dangote Petroleum Refinery Initial Public Offering, insisting that religious sentiment should not stand in the way of sound investment decisions.

Speaking at a media parley in Kaduna, Hayab said Christians ought to approach the public offer purely as a business and investment opportunity rather than viewing it through a religious lens.

“Business has no religion. What Dangote is selling is not Islam; Dangote is selling shares. Shares bring money,” he said.

His remarks were made in response to concerns that some northern Christians had shown reluctance to participate in the offer, owing to the promoter’s religious identity and uncertainty surrounding the investment.

Hayab maintained that responsible Christian leaders had a duty to encourage their members to invest, noting that share ownership could help families build wealth for future generations.

“If I have my way, just as they are advertising, every Christian should have 10 shares,” he said.

He illustrated how collective participation could translate into significant ownership, explaining that if one million Christians each purchased 10,000 shares, they would collectively hold one billion shares.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery public offer consists of 4.1 billion ordinary shares priced at ₦525 per share, with a minimum subscription requirement of 10 shares, valued at ₦5,250.

The offer opened on September 14 and is scheduled to close on October 13, 2026.

Hayab argued that investment should not be seen merely as a route to quick returns, but also as a way of safeguarding the future of children and families.

“Buy it for your son. Buy it for your grandchildren. Buy it for the future of their education,” he said.

He further urged Christians to cultivate a stronger culture of investment, warning that excessive reliance on salaries limits the capacity of individuals and institutions to build lasting wealth.

According to him, increased investment by church members could also boost the financial strength of churches.

“The reason why our offering is poor in many of our churches is that we are not investing,” Hayab said, noting that many church members depend largely on salaries alone.

He added that Nigerians should aim to hold stakes in businesses operating within the country, arguing that wider domestic ownership would help drive national economic development.

“The economy of Nigeria will grow faster if all Nigerians have a stake in the investment that is in Nigeria,” he said.

Hayab clarified that his call was not restricted to the Dangote offer alone, stressing that Christians should remain open to other legitimate investment opportunities as well.

He disclosed that, in his capacity as NCA chairman, he had directed church leaders to create awareness about the Dangote offer within their congregations.

“We started that last Sunday, and we’ll do that this Sunday, and we’ll continue to do so until the 13th when it is over,” he said.

He also appealed for a possible extension of the offer period, noting that public awareness about the IPO was only just beginning to gather momentum.

Hayab urged that the Dangote business be viewed separately from politics, pointing out that political administrations may change while the business itself continues to operate.

“Today we have Tinubu as president, tomorrow we’ll have another person as president, but we will be having Dangote business all through,” he said.

The NCA leader also appealed to northern Christians to support businesses owned by entrepreneurs from the region, noting that Dangote hails from the North.

His comments come amid wider public discussions surrounding participation in the Dangote Refinery IPO.

The official IPO information states that investing in shares carries risk, that share values can rise or fall, and that dividends are not guaranteed.