Dangote refinery to employ 8,000 engineers, create jobs for 85,000 Nigerians

President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said about 8,000 engineers would be needed for the smooth take off of the nine- billion- dollar Dangote Refinery/Fertiliser plant in Ondo.

Dangote told State House correspondents in Abuja that the project, when completed, would provide direct and indirect jobs for 85,000 Nigerians.

He said the group had secured a 3.3 billion-dollar credit facility from a consortium of banks for the project.

According to him, importation of petroleum products will end by 2016 as the plant will commence production in the next three years.

He said his plan was to make the country self-reliant in petrochemical and petroleum products, as well as make it an industrial giant.

According to Dangote,  Nigeria currently spends about 30 billion dollars annually on importation of petroleum products.

He said the complex planned by his group would make Nigeria a net exporter of petroleum products, including diesel and aviation fuel, as well as poly-propylene and fertiliser.

Dangote Group of companies is to Invest 9 billion US Dollars in the establishment of refinery, petrochemical and fertilizer industry at Olokola Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.

At the signing of the project loans between Dangote and participating banks at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, in Abuja, the Chairman of Dangote Group Plc, Aliko Dangote said the project, when completed would be the First private and African largest refinery in Nigeria.

Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko in his address described the project as an expression of confidence in Nigeria.

Mimiko noted that citing the refinery in his State will boost the socio-economic development of the State and the people of the host community.

In his address, Vice President, Namadi Sambo said the economic transformation of the present Government in the area of the downstream sector has been fruitfully yielding result With the huge investment of Dangote Group in the Oil refineries.

He commended Alhaji Dangote for taking robust advantage of the fiscal programmes of the Federal Government in creating conducive investment environment, saying private investors are the driving force of every economy.

Sambo who reiterated the determination of the Federal Government in giving necessary assistance to any private investor in Nigeria, declared that Nigeria is the best investment friendly Nation in Africa.

He charged other investors to emulate Dangote by joining the moving train.

The refinery will have the capacity to process 400,000 barrel of crude Oil and would also produce gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel and kerosene.

The project is expected to be completed in three years.