Business
Dangote Refinery: A Plea For Caution *by Oba Adekunle Oyelude CON
Dangote Refinery: A Plea For Caution
*by Oba Adekunle Oyelude CON
I am very proud, as I always do home and abroad, to call myself a citizen of Nigeria, the blessed land of my forebears. From the bottom of my heart, I pledge to continue to be proud of Nigeria, come rain, come shine because there is no other place on this planet earth to be called my natural home other than here.
I am also happy to say that my antecedent before and after I ascended to the throne of my ancestors as the 13th Olowu of Kuta in September 2012, has not contrasted my love for and belief in Nigeria, both of which were recognised by the Federal Government of Nigeria in May 2023 when the then President Muhammadu Buhari confered on me the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
In view of this national honour and my status as a royal father, I find it much more obligatory to share my view on the ongoing travail of the Dangote Refinery, a major private investment which sits on 2,635 hectares with a view to producing and exporting petrol and ultimately saving Nigeria foreign exchange.
This unprecedented stride, to my senses, would reverse Nigeria’s reliance on other countries for petroleum supply. I read it that we import about 90 percent of petroleum products we consume locally. I also read that Nigeria imported 11.3 billion dollars refined petroleum products in 2021 alone, making us the 18th largest importer of the products globally.
One can then imagine how excited I was when the news came out that the Dangote Refinery, construction of which started a decade ago and completed with $19 billion, would commence production at the end of the third quarter of 2022 and would reach full capacity in the first quarter of 2023.
I was more excited realising that hundreds of jobless Nigerian, especially our agitating youths would be employed by the 65000 barrel-per-day plant.
I was engrossed in that state of ecstasy and indeed expectant of the implementation of that promise, when suddenly I began to see an alarming sign of a danger to that prospect.
It first sounded like a joke and also appeared like a bad, protracted dream to me until I read that the date of the take-off had been shifted forward due to some logistics, particularly some grey areas needed to be cleared with the sector regulatory authorities.
I was practically down when I read a report alleging that the head of the Nigerian Mainstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) , Mr Farouk Ahmed made a complaint over the quality of products from the refinery.
The CEO was reported to have complained that the diesel produced by the refinery contains a very large amount of sulphur content which, according to him, is harmful to vehicle engine, hence the continuous reliance on imported products with its predictable consequence on the young refinery.
At this juncture, I am stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea. However, as a royal father, who must not be fair only but must also be seen to be fair, I have the responsibility to call on the government to aid the nationalist objective for which the refinery was built.
Nigeria, our great nation, emerging as the highest private petroleum exporter in Africa, is not a status and prestige we should throw out of the window. I, therefore, crave the understanding of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on this, for the feat will certainly add to the profile of his administration as that through which Nigeria attained that enviable height among the comity of nations.
This administration can not afford to be seen as putting before prospective investors, unfriendly policies to discourage them from looking to the direction of the country for enterprises that could create jobs for the yawning youths.
President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, in his part, should be more open to further dialogue with the government through the NMDPRA in order to save his dream project this seemingly impasse.
There is no doubting the fact that a number of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, have attached Aliko Dangote’s name to monopoly of our nation’s economy, allegedly using his proximity with successive admnistrations to sustain his dominance of the economy evidently with his multi-sectoral investments, for instance, in cement, sugar and salt.
I think with his current experience over this multibillion-dollar refinery, it is high time he reviewed that identity by complying with the demands of the government if only for the sake of national interest.
To my understanding of elementary finance, it makes no economic sense for an investor of that magnitude to be operating below his investment capacity level as the refinery is unfortunately experiencing to the disappointment and indeed pains of those of us who had seen a bigger picture of the project that, we had hoped and still are of the belief, would end the perennial fuel crisis the nation has endured for about 50 years.
Owing to the current fuel challenges being faced in major cities of the country, we are impatiently looking forward to the August date which the refinery is expected to supply Nigerian market. We don’t want anything that would push the date forward again.
Finally, federal government should look into the recent findings, through testing, made by members of the House of Representatives led by the Speaker, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, disclaiming the allegation that Dangote diesel contains high sulphur levels.
To be double sure, the government can take a step further by conducting an independent investigation to ascertain the right quality of Dangote products and compare with those imported by marketers.
We should be mindful of the fact that the success or otherwise of this refinery will spill over to Dangote’s interest in revamping our moribund steel industry. We shouldn’t throw away the baby with bath water.
Mr president as father of the Nation and an undisputed patriot that we all know please safe this Refinery now as many onlookers are already insinuating the current imbroiglo to wrong political calculation on the part of Aliko, clarification of the Refinery as Major critical National Asset that must be jealously protected despite the fact that it’s privately owned is my humble opinion.
God bless the Federal Government of Nigeria. God bless our patriotic President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.
_*-Oba Adekunle Makama Oyelude (CON) is the Olowu of Kuta, Osun State, Nigeria*_
Precision and Heritage: How Fifi Stitches Is Rewriting African Fashion Narratives
A Nigerian-born designer is gradually carving out a cross-continental footprint in contemporary fashion, blending African textile heritage with British technical discipline.
Esther Fiyinfoluwa Adeosun, Founder and Creative Director of Fifi Stitches, is gaining recognition for structured womenswear and bridal couture that reinterprets traditional fabrics through architectural tailoring and precision construction.
Born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Adeosun’s fashion journey began at home, seated beside her mother’s sewing machine. What started as childhood curiosity, sometimes jamming the machine just to understand its mechanics—evolved into a disciplined design practice now operating between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
During an interview with journalists the fifi Stitches once mentioned “I was fascinated by how flat fabric could transform into something structured and meaningful”.
In her Story , early designs made for her family, though imperfectly finished, were worn with pride—an encouragement that laid the foundation for her professional confidence.
Today, Fifi Stitches is recognised for sculpted bodices, controlled tailoring, corsetry construction, and the contemporary reinterpretation of Ankara, Aso Oke, and Adire textiles.
The brand challenges the long-held perception that African fabrics belong solely in ceremonial contexts, instead positioning them within global luxury and modern design spaces.
Adeosun’s training reflects this dual perspective. She studied Fashion Design and Entrepreneurship at the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Development Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, and earned a Diploma in Fashion Design through Alison Online.
In the UK, she undertook industry-focused technical training with Fashion-Enter Ltd and gained fashion business exposure through Fashion Capital UK.
Her technical expertise spans pattern drafting, draping, garment technology, structured tailoring, corsetry, and bespoke fittings—skills she describes as central to credibility in fashion. “Precision builds trust,” she says. “A designer must understand construction as deeply as creativity.”
Fifi Stitches has showcased collections at the Suffolk Fashion Show, Liverpool Fashion Show – FB Fashion Ball, Red Carpet Fashion Event in London, and through editorial features in London Runway Magazine.
The brand has also received coverage in The Guardian Nigeria and Vanguard Allure, expanding its visibility across markets.
Beyond couture, Adeosun integrates community impact into her practice.
She has facilitated garment construction workshops, draping sessions, and introductory training programmes for women and emerging creatives, promoting fashion as both artistic expression and vocational empowerment.
Fifi Stcithes Boss operates between Nigeria and the UK, in order to continue to shape her brand identity.
According to her “Nigeria provides cultural richness and expressive textile traditions, while the UK offers structured production systems, sustainability conversations, and institutional frameworks”.
Looking ahead, Adeosun said she plan to establish a fully structured fashion house spanning Africa and the UK, develop scalable production partnerships, launch capsule collections, and expand independent editorial visibility.
Her broader ambition is clear: to position African textile craftsmanship within global contemporary design conversations—through structure, discipline, and technical excellence.
GTCO Launches “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, Opens Call for Applications
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has announced the launch of “Take on Squad” Hackathon 3.0, reaffirming its commitment to fostering innovation, empowering talent, and supporting the development of technology-driven solutions that address real-world challenges across Africa.
Now in its third edition, the Hackathon brings together developers, designers and entrepreneurs across Nigeria in a collaborative environment to build practical solutions across key sectors including financial services, healthcare, commerce and digital inclusion. Under the theme “Smart Systems: The Intelligent Economy,” participants are challenged to design and build intelligent, data-driven solutions that transform how communities engage with money.
Applications are now open, and interested teams can find full guidelines and registration details on the official portal at https://squadco.com/hackathon.
Speaking on the initiative, Eduophon Japhet, Managing Director of HabariPay, stated: “Today’s dynamic, digitally driven world demands continuous innovation, which is shaping how economies grow, how businesses scale, and how societies evolve. Through “Take on Squad” Hackathon, we are deliberately investing in the ideas and talent that will define the future. Our objective is not simply to encourage innovation, but to enable its translation into scalable solutions that deliver real and measurable impact. This reflects GTCO’s role as a financial services platform that connects capital, capability, and creativity to drive sustainable progress.”
The social coding event remains a cornerstone of HabariPay’s mission to foster creativity and problem-solving among emerging tech talents. Competing teams will leverage Squad’s advanced APIs to create scalable digital tools that address everyday challenges faced by businesses and individuals.
Through initiatives such as this, GTCO continues to position itself at the intersection of finance, technology and enterprise, actively shaping the future of digital transformation in Africa.
About HabariPay
HabariPay Ltd is the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of the largest financial services institutions in Africa with direct and indirect investments in a network of operating entities located in 10 countries across Africa and the United Kingdom.
Licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), our goal is to support SMEs, micro merchants, large corporations and other fintechs (Tech Stars) with the tools they need to thrive in an evolving digital economy and expand beyond their current market reach. HabariPay’s solutions include Squad, a full-scale digital payments toolkit to make in-person and online payments simpler, HabariPay Storefront, an e-commerce website to facilitate online purchases, Value-Added Services to help merchants access cost-effective and flexible airtime and data bundles to run their businesses, as well as a switching infrastructure that enables tech-focused businesses to optimise cost and make transactions more efficient.
HabariPay’s contributions to Accelerating Digital Acceptance in Africa have not gone unnoticed–it received Mastercard’s Innovative Mobile Payment Solution Award at TIA 2022 for its innovative payment solution, SquadPOS.
About Squad
Squad is a complete digital payments solution that is reliable, secure, and affordable, making receiving in-person and online payments simpler and convenient.
Thousands of merchants currently leverage Squad’s payment solutions for their daily business operations. Squad’s current products and service offerings include SquadPOS, Squad Payment Links, Squad Virtual Accounts, USSD, and E-Commerce Storefront.
Find out more at www.squadco.com.
Electric 8-Seater Tula Moto Keke Enters Nigerian Market, Targets Higher Operator Earnings
LAGOS — A new electric-powered tricycle with an expanded passenger capacity has been introduced into Nigeria’s urban transport sector, offering operators a potentially more profitable and eco-friendly alternative to conventional petrol-driven “keke.”
The newly launched 8-seater electric tricycle, now available in Lagos with plans for nationwide distribution, features a dual-row seating arrangement capable of accommodating up to eight passengers per trip—significantly higher than the standard three-passenger configuration common across the country.
Promoters of the innovation say the increased capacity is designed to boost daily earnings for operators, particularly amid persistent fluctuations in fuel prices. By running entirely on electric power, the vehicle eliminates dependence on petrol, reducing operating costs and shielding drivers from fuel price volatility.
According to the distributors, the tricycle is equipped with a durable battery system capable of covering extended distances on a single charge, making it suitable for commercial operations across high-traffic routes, residential estates, campuses, and marketplaces.
“The concept is straightforward—enable drivers to earn more while spending less,” a company representative stated. “With higher passenger capacity and zero fuel requirements, operators can maximise each trip without the burden of daily fuel expenses.”
Beyond its cost-saving potential, the electric keke is also said to require less maintenance than traditional models, offering additional long-term savings. Its quieter and smoother operation is expected to enhance passenger comfort and overall commuting experience.
Industry analysts note that the introduction of electric mobility solutions reflects a growing shift toward cleaner and more sustainable transportation alternatives in Nigeria, particularly in densely populated urban centres such as Lagos.
The distributors added that the product is currently available under a limited promotional offer, with delivery options across the country.
For inquiries and purchase: 📞 08153432071
📞 08035889103
Office Address:
📍 Plot 9, Block 113, Beulah Plaza,
Lekki–Epe Expressway,
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos
As transportation costs continue to rise and environmental concerns gain prominence, innovations like the electric 8-seater keke may signal an emerging transition toward more efficient and sustainable mobility solutions nationwide.
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