The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Bayo Ojulari, has praised billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote for his visionary leadership, saying Nigerians should be grateful for his role in creating the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

Ojulari made the remarks during a first official tour of the refinery with NNPC’s board and executives. The facility, which processes 650,000 barrels of crude oil daily, is the largest and most modern refinery in Africa, with NNPC holding a 7% stake.

Highlighting the refinery’s advanced technology, Ojulari noted that seeing it in person offered a deeper understanding than reports or videos could provide. He also addressed concerns about the “single train” design, assuring that its sophisticated architecture and built-in redundancies guarantee high reliability and output.

“The plant has been tested above its full capacity 661,000 barrels per day surpassing expectations. This is a facility every Nigerian should take pride in,” Ojulari said.

He also revealed plans to expand the refinery using a replication model, which would double capacity while lowering both construction and operational costs by leveraging existing infrastructure.

Ojulari concluded that Dangote’s vision and commitment have positioned Nigeria prominently on the global energy map, making the refinery a symbol of technological audacity and national pride.