Bayo Ojulari Leads NNPC Top Executives on Strategic Visit to Dangote Refinery Amid Growing Energy Collaboration

The Nigerian oil and gas sector witnessed another notable development as Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, led a delegation of top NNPC executives on a courtesy and inspection visit to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.

The visit was hosted by Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, at the multibillion-dollar refinery complex located in Lagos. The Dangote Group confirmed the visit in a post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing photographs of Ojulari, Dangote, and senior executives touring the facility.

“HAPPENING NOW: President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, hosts NNPC Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, and top executives at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, Saturday, 21 February 2026,” the company wrote.

The visit comes at a time of renewed cooperation between the national oil company and Africa’s largest private refinery. Just weeks earlier, Dangote Industries Limited signed gas supply agreements with NNPC covering three of its subsidiaries—an arrangement expected to strengthen domestic gas utilisation and reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined petroleum products.

Industry analysts say the refinery tour underscores the increasingly pragmatic relationship between both entities, following months of tension, public disagreements, and regulatory hurdles that once threatened to delay the refinery’s operations. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the Dangote Refinery is widely regarded as a game-changer for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector.

Speaking previously in November 2025, Ojulari disclosed that NNPC was considering increasing its equity stake in the Dangote Refinery from its current 7.2 percent to as much as 20 percent. The proposal has since generated mixed reactions among Nigerians. Supporters argue that a larger government stake would ensure national interest and stability, while critics fear that excessive state involvement could introduce political interference into a project largely praised for its efficiency and private-sector discipline.

Public reaction to the visit has been sharply divided. While some Nigerians welcomed the engagement as a sign of healthy collaboration and knowledge-sharing, others questioned why NNPC leadership appeared more active at a privately owned refinery while government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna continue to struggle with functionality.

“This is the kind of collaboration Nigeria needs,” said one commentator. “Whether public or private, refining our crude locally is critical for energy security, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.”

Others were less charitable, expressing concern that NNPC’s involvement could undermine the operational independence of the refinery. “Let them not wreck this one like the others,” one critic warned, reflecting deep public scepticism shaped by decades of underperforming state-run refineries.

Despite the controversy, energy experts note that the Dangote Refinery’s success has already shifted the narrative around industrial-scale projects in Nigeria. Its completion has demonstrated that large, complex infrastructure projects can be delivered locally when driven by clear vision, financing discipline, and operational autonomy.

As Nigeria continues its transition toward market-driven energy reforms, the partnership—formal or informal—between NNPC and Dangote Industries is expected to play a defining role. Whether through equity participation, supply agreements, or technical collaboration, the outcome of this relationship could shape the future of petroleum refining, pricing stability, and energy self-sufficiency in Africa’s largest economy.

For now, the visit by Ojulari and his team stands as a powerful symbol: one of cautious cooperation between state and private capital, set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s long quest to refine what it produces and reclaim control over its energy destiny.