27th Jan 2014 – And from BusinessDay, a report that the Dangote Group might be looking to acquire oil assets from Chevron and Shell, In a move to feed its plan to build Africa’s largest oil refinery in Nigeria.
Aliko Dangote, business mogul and Africa’s richest man, intends to buy tracts of oil-rich swamp, from 2 companies to feed the planned refinery, which is expected to come on stream in 2016.
Group executive director, Dangote Cement Plc, Devakumar Edwin is quoted by Bloomberg as saying “We’re seriously thinking of investing in oil blocks, both for gas and for oil. We’ve started talking with some companies who are divesting from onshore
It would be recalled that Dangote in April 2013 disclosed his intention to build a 400,000 barrel-per-day refinery in Nigeria, as well as petrochemical and fertiliser plants at the Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas (OKLNG) Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
Analysts say Dangote’s foray into the oil sector will likely shake up Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, adding that they expect the refinery to help cut the country’s oil import volumes significantly.