President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said that his refinery project is not in competition with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), affirming a commitment to collaboration between both entities.

According to a statement issued on Friday by NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, Dangote made the comments during a visit to the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Bayo Ojulari, in Abuja.

The visit, the statement said, was part of ongoing engagements aimed at fostering cooperation and ensuring alignment in the country’s energy strategy.

“There is no competition between us; we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd. NNPC is part and parcel of our business, and we are also part of NNPC. This is an era of cooperation between the two organisations,” Dangote said during the meeting.

The visit follows recent developments in the sector that had stirred perceptions of rivalry between the state oil firm and the privately owned $20 billion Dangote refinery, especially regarding crude oil supply arrangements and pricing in naira.

Dangote had earlier alleged that certain industry interests were opposing his refinery operations, although he clarified that these did not include the current leadership of NNPC Ltd.

Both Dangote and Ojulari expressed a shared goal of ensuring Nigeria’s energy security. The statement noted that the two organisations agreed to strengthen their partnership in ways that promote national development and economic stability.

Dangote also took the opportunity to commend Ojulari and the senior management team on their appointments. He acknowledged the complexity of the tasks ahead for the new GCEO, but expressed confidence in the capability of the NNPC team to navigate the challenges effectively.

In response, Ojulari assured Dangote of NNPC’s commitment to a collaborative relationship that is anchored in commercial value and national interest.

He described the workforce at NNPC as composed of highly skilled and dedicated professionals who are focused on delivering results.

“Both executives also committed to being the relationship managers for their respective organisations through sustained productive collaboration and healthy competition, thereby envisioning limitless opportunities for both organisations,” the statement added.