Dangote Refinery Awards $368m Contracts to Local Contractors

Dangote Refinery Awards $368m Contracts to Local Contractors

Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical has disclosed that it has so far awarded $368 million contracts to 120 local contractors as part of its contribution to the Nigeria Content development initiative.

The Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development and Capital Projects, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, who made this disclosure yesterday during the tour of the Dangote Refinery in Lagos by the officials of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), said there were several Nigerian Content opportunities in the company’s refinery and petrochemical project.

He noted that the refinery would lead to significant skills transfer and technology acquisition opportunities in the country.

He said the group embarked on a landmark integrated refinery and petrochemical project, regarded as the largest industrial complex in the history of Africa, which is expected to take Nigeria to new heights through the transformation of the economy.

According to him, the company is already partnering the Lagos State government and Siemens in the skills development of the local community for employment at the construction site.

“We have already trained and employed 250 artisans,” he added.

He disclosed the company’s intention to train 900 Nigerian engineers in India.

“The company has completed the overseas training of first and Second batches of Nigerian engineers who are being acclimatized at site. The third batch left for India classroom training for one month, on the job training for one year and working in real time with experts in the industry every day,” he added.

He said that company has so far employed 3,580 Nigerian personnel on site.

“This excludes employment by the various contractors and subcontractors at the site,” he said.

Edwin disclosed that the company, in partnership with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), kicked off the training for 200 youths in its host communities, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

He disclosed that the programme is meant to prepare the selected youth with vocational skills that will make them employable or self-employed.

According to the company, the youth are currently being trained in areas of plumbing, masonry, welding, iron bending, auto mechanics and electrical works because of the instant value addition to their lives and communities.

In his remarks, the Chairman of NUJ, Lagos State Council, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, thanked the company for giving the union opportunity to embark on the tour of the refinery project.

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