Vice President Kashim Shettima has urged Nigerians to respect and protect the multibillion-dollar investment of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, warning that safeguarding such ventures is crucial to securing the country’s economic future.
Speaking on Monday at the opening of the 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, Shettima described Dangote as an institution and a pillar of Nigeria’s economic development.
He stressed that the $20 billion Dangote Refinery, with its 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity, was a national asset vital to Nigeria’s growth and global competitiveness.
The vice president made the remarks against the backdrop of last week’s industrial action by oil workers under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria over the alleged sack of about 800 unionised employees at the refinery.
The strike was later suspended following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, and the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Shettima said the billionaire industrialist deserved collective support for choosing to invest heavily in Nigeria rather than abroad.
He said, “Aliko Dangote, he’s not an individual, he’s an institution, and he’s a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament. And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us. If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, in Amazon, or in Google, he probably might be worth $70 to $80 billion by now.
“But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve, and protect the interests of this great Nigeria.”
The Vice President also appealed to both labour unions and the organised private sector to show restraint and patriotism in resolving industrial disputes, warning that reckless actions could undermine national progress.
About the Author
