Shareholders have come forward to vehemently defend Aliko Dangote, Africa’s leading industrialist, amid the ongoing controversies surrounding petroleum product supply. They have criticized the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, for what they perceive as a deliberate attempt to demarket Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals.
Expressing their dismay, the Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), represented by its National Coordinator, Mrs. Bisi Bakare, issued a statement rebuking the recent allegations made by the petroleum regulatory agency concerning the quality of diesel produced by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Joining the increasing number of Nigerians rallying in support of Dangote in this ongoing standoff, PSAN adds its voice. Prominent figures and associations including the President of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) Akinwumi Adesina, billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, federal lawmakers, former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra state governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria have all expressed their support for Dangote Refinery.
NMDPRA boss, Farouk Ahmed, is facing backlash for suggesting that the diesel produced by the $20 billion Dangote refinery is of inferior quality in comparison to imports into the country.
Bakare has commended Dangote for his visionary approach in establishing one of the largest refineries in the world in Nigeria. She highlighted Dangote’s commitment to national development, emphasizing his patriotism and resolute character through significant investments like the refinery.
