Dangote Refinery Proves Africa Can Build at Scale, Says Sanwo-Olu

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the Dangote Refinery demonstrates Africa’s capacity to execute major projects at scale, describing the development as a reflection of Lagos’ culture of building despite challenging conditions.

Sanwo-Olu stated this in a post on X on Thursday after visiting the Dangote Refinery in Lekki as part of the Lagos-New York 2026 Learning Journey, hosted by the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Forum of Young Global Leaders.

The governor said he reminded participants during his speech that the area where the refinery now stands was open water about a decade ago and had to be reclaimed and developed through deliberate investment.

“While giving my speech, I reminded everyone that a decade ago, the ground beneath our feet was open water. Everything built here had to be imagined, funded and reclaimed from the sea. That is the essence of Lagos. We do not wait for perfect conditions, we build the ground first,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu noted that the refinery’s 650,000-barrel-per-day production capacity was evidence that Africa could deliver projects on a massive scale.

“Producing 650,000 barrels a day, this refinery proves Africa can execute at a massive scale,” he said.

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He thanked Aliko Dangote for investing in Lagos, alongside the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the Forum of Young Global Leaders, The Africa Center and Afreximbank for their roles in the initiative.

“We came together to talk about scale, but scale is not an abstract concept to us. It is the daily reality of governing over 25 million people,” the governor said.

According to Sanwo-Olu, Lagos was already confronting many of the challenges Africa would face in the coming decades, including pressure on roads and energy infrastructure, as well as the need to harness its growing youthful population.

“Every pressure Africa will face this century, Lagos is confronting this decade, our roads, our energy and a young population that will either drive our growth or define our risk,” he said.

The governor said his administration was focused on creating systems that would make it easier for future investors and developers to build on existing infrastructure, rather than depending on individual efforts.

“As Governor, my focus is on what comes next. A system that relies on one man’s extraordinary willpower is not a business model. That is heroism and heroism is hard to repeat. The true test of this refinery is whether the next builder has a smoother path,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu listed the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Free Zone, Blue Line rail and the upcoming airport among projects designed to support investment along the Lekki corridor.

“That is our commitment. Everything my administration has put into the Lekki corridor, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the Free Zone, the Blue Line rail, and the upcoming airport is designed so the next investor does not have to build from scratch,” he said.

He also urged the Young Global Leaders travelling to New York to turn discussions about Africa’s development into concrete partnerships.

“To all our Young Global Leaders heading to New York for the next leg, my message is that Africa is not waiting for permission to build. We have already started and now is the time to turn conversations into partnerships,” Sanwo-Olu said.