The opening ceremony in Ibeju Lekki in Nigeria's southern state of Lagos was attended by the leaders of Ghana, Niger, Senegal, Togo and the Chadian presidential representative, the report said. The refinery is expected to ensure Nigeria's self-sufficiency in refined oil products and even accumulate a surplus for export.
"When I travel around Africa and meet and engage my brother Heads of State... I often sense a quiet expectation that our country is blessed with resources and human capacity to lead Africa's rise to economic prosperity and the attainment of Agenda 2063 — 'The Africa we all want.' But to achieve the goals of Agenda 2063, Africa must come together — we must integrate our economies, eliminate barriers to trade and energize our youthful population to scale up our productive capacity," Buhari said.
The president also praised Nigerian entrepreneur Aliko Dangote's leading part in building the refinery.
"Our products slate is designed to meet the highest quality standards and high-value products ... that will enable us not only meet our country's demand but also to become a key player in the African and global market," Dangote remarked.
Dangote Oil Refinery is Africa's largest refining factory with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, Dangote added.