After months of tension and rivalry, Nigeria’s foremost oil refiners—NNPC Limited and Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals—have agreed to resolve their differences in a bid to foster cooperation and strengthen the nation’s energy sector.
The two firms made the commitment during a meeting in Abuja, where they vowed to work together to ensure energy security and drive shared economic prosperity for Nigerians.
The reconciliation follows a heated petrol price war between both entities, which had led to the suspension of the crude-for-naira deal brokered by the Federal Government last year. The deal was later reinstated after a leadership change at NNPC.
In a statement issued on Friday by NNPC’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, the oil giant confirmed that the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, led a delegation to visit the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Bashir Bayo Ojulari, at the NNPC Towers.
During the meeting, Dangote emphasized that his refinery was not in competition with NNPC, stating, “There is no competition between us; we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd. NNPC is part and parcel of our business, and we are also part of NNPC. This is an era of cooperation between the two organizations.”
He congratulated Ojulari and NNPC’s management on their appointments, acknowledging the significant task ahead while expressing confidence in their ability to deliver.
In response, Ojulari assured Dangote of NNPC’s commitment to a mutually beneficial partnership built on healthy competition and strategic collaboration. He praised NNPC’s workforce as highly skilled professionals dedicated to delivering value for Nigeria.
Ojulari further stated that NNPC would continue working with the Dangote Group, particularly in areas that offer commercial benefits for the country.
Both leaders pledged to serve as relationship managers for their respective organizations, fostering sustained collaboration to unlock new opportunities for Nigeria’s energy sector.
