The Northern Christian Association (NCA) Chairman , Reverend Joseph Hayab, has canvassed the support of Christians in participating in the ongoing Dangote Petroleum Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO), saying religious considerations should not discourage them from investing.

The Northern Christian leader who spoke at a media parley in Kaduna, said Christians should view the public offer as a business and investment opportunity, rather than through a religious lens.

According to him, “business has no religion. What Dangote is selling is not Islam; Dangote is selling shares. Shares bring money”.

Hayab was responding to concerns that some northern Christians were hesitant to participate in the offer because of the religious identity of the promoter and uncertainty surrounding investment opportunities.

He said, responsible Christian leaders should encourage their members to invest, arguing that ownership of shares could provide a means of building wealth for families and future generations.

“If I have my way, just as they are advertising, every Christian should have 10 shares,” he added.

Hayab gave an example of how collective participation could increase ownership, saying if one million Christians bought 10,000 shares each, they would collectively own one billion shares.

Meanwhile, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery public offer comprises 4.1 billion ordinary shares at ₦525 per share, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares, valued at ₦5,250. The offer opened on September 14 and is scheduled to close on October 13, 2026.

Hayab said investment should not be viewed only as a means of making immediate returns, but also as a way of securing the future of children and families.

“Buy it for your son. Buy it for your grandchildren. Buy it for the future of their education,” he said.

He also called on Christians to develop a stronger culture of investment, arguing that excessive dependence on salaries limits the ability of individuals and institutions to build sustainable wealth.

According to him, greater investment by church members could also strengthen the financial capacity of churches.

“The reason why our offering is poor in many of our churches is because we are not investing,” Hayab said, adding that many church members rely mainly on salaries.

He said Nigerians should seek to have a stake in businesses operating in the country, arguing that broader domestic ownership would contribute to economic development.

“The economy of Nigeria will grow faster if all Nigerians have a stake in the investment that is in Nigeria,” he said.

Hayab further said his position was not limited to Dangote, stressing that Christians should be open to other legitimate investment opportunities.

He disclosed that, in his capacity as chairman of the Northern Christian Association, he had directed people to create awareness about the Dangote offer in their churches.

“We started that last Sunday and we’ll do that this Sunday and we’ll continue to do until the 13th when it is over,” he said.

He also appealed for consideration of an extension of the offer period, saying publicity about the IPO was only beginning to gain wider attention.

Hayab said the Dangote business should be viewed separately from politics, noting that political administrations could change while businesses could continue operating.

“Today we have Tinubu as president, tomorrow we’ll have another person as president, but we will be having Dangote business all through,” he said.

The NCA leader also appealed to northern Christians to participate in businesses owned by entrepreneurs from the region, noting that Dangote is from the North.

His comments came amid broader public discussions about participation in the Dangote Refinery IPO. The official IPO information states that investing in shares carries risk, that share values can rise or fall, and that dividends are not guaranteed.