L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, David Bird, and Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Professor Nnenna N. Oti, during the visit of selected FUTO students to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lekki, Lagos recently.
By Peace Udugba
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing the next generation of African engineers, innovators and industrial leaders by hosting outstanding students from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) on an educational tour of Africa’s largest refinery complex.
The visit fulfilled a promise made by the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, during FUTO’s 37th Public Lecture, where he pledged to expose exceptional students to world-class industrial operations. The initiative is designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical industry experience.
Led by the Vice-Chancellor of FUTO, Professor Nnenna N. Oti, the delegation comprised top-performing students drawn from engineering, technology and entrepreneurship disciplines.
Group photograph of some of the students from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), led by Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nnenna N. Oti, during their visit to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser Plant in Lekki, Lagos recently.
Speaking during an interactive session with the students, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, David Bird, described the facility as a testament to how innovation, advanced technology and private sector investment can drive economic transformation while creating opportunities for young Africans.
According to Bird, the refinery, widely regarded as the world’s largest single-train refinery, represents the pinnacle of technological advancement on the continent.
“There is no better showcase of modern technology than the refinery Alhaji Aliko Dangote has built here,” he said. “What we have created is one of the world’s youngest, most modern, energy-efficient, highly automated and data-rich refineries. It is also contributing to the decarbonisation of the oil and gas value chain while delivering cleaner fuels to Nigeria and West Africa.”
He noted that exposure to facilities of such scale is essential to changing perceptions about Africa’s industrial sector.
“I am inspired by the curiosity, passion and enthusiasm displayed by these students. They are seeing first-hand that this industry is dynamic, innovative and offers rewarding long-term career opportunities for highly skilled professionals,” Bird added.
He further disclosed that the refinery intends to strengthen collaboration with universities and research institutions, particularly in emerging areas such as renewable energy and sustainable fuel technologies.
“Our objective is to remain closely aligned with universities, understand the research they are undertaking and identify opportunities to support the commercialisation of innovative ideas. There are exciting developments around biofuels and other technologies shaping the future of energy,” he said.
In her remarks, Professor Oti described the visit as a transformative and life-changing experience for the students, noting that it aligns with efforts to strengthen partnerships between academia and industry.
She recalled that Aliko Dangote personally invited 15 female and 15 male students to visit his refinery and factories in Lagos following his lecture at the university earlier in the year.
“At the end of his lecture, he invited 15 female and 15 male students to visit his refinery and factories in Lagos as special guests. This was part of his vision to inspire the next generation, and today stands as a fulfilment of that promise,” she said.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the initiative provides a unique platform for students to connect classroom knowledge with practical industrial applications.
“This is what I describe as an Ivory Tower-Industry Partnership. There is no more effective way to bridge the gap between theory and practice than by exposing students to facilities of this scale,” she said. “These are some of our best students across mechanical, chemical, petroleum and software engineering, as well as entrepreneurship. This experience will undoubtedly broaden their horizons, expand their ambitions and shape their future careers.”
She added that the visit demonstrates the transformative impact of visionary African entrepreneurship in driving industrialisation and economic growth.
For many of the students, the tour offered a rare opportunity to witness technologies and systems they had previously encountered only in theory.
A 500-level Mechanical Engineering student, Amadi Ijeoma Winfrey, described the experience as enlightening and inspiring.
“The experience has been amazing. Seeing the practical application of equipment such as pumps, compressors and turbines has helped bridge the gap between theory and reality,” she said.
Similarly, a 500-level Chemical Engineering student, Israel Ifanyichukwu, described the visit as transformative, saying it provided valuable insight into how classroom theories are applied on an industrial scale and equipped him with knowledge that would benefit his academic and professional pursuits.
Also speaking, Professor Abraham Ngwuta, Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, and Professor Chikwendu Emenike Orji, Dean of Students’ Affairs, described Aliko Dangote as a model entrepreneur whose investments across critical sectors demonstrate the power of vision,
discipline and long-term value creation.
They noted that his industrial footprint provides students with a practical framework for understanding entrepreneurship as a driver of national development, job creation and economic transformation.
The visit forms part of Dangote Industries’ broader commitment to promoting education, innovation and skills development, while preparing a new generation of professionals capable of driving Africa’s industrial transformation.
