Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the Dangote Refinery as more than an industrial project, saying its development demonstrates Africa’s capacity to execute ambitious projects on a market-changing scale.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Thursday at the official launch of the Africa–Diaspora Leadership Programme 2026 Young Global Leaders Convening, themed “Building Africa at Scale,” held at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
The governor noted that the refinery was built on land reclaimed from swamp, lagoon and open water, with additional infrastructure, including a jetty and power plant, developed to support the project.
He, however, warned that Africa’s development should not depend on individual “heroism,” stressing that the real measure of the refinery’s success would be whether future major industrial projects could be built more easily.
According to Sanwo-Olu, the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lekki Free Zone and Lagos Blue Line rail are among infrastructure projects being developed to reduce barriers for investors and support future industrial growth.
He also called for greater participation by African pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and the diaspora in owning strategic assets across the continent.
Sanwo-Olu said the Dangote Refinery showed what could be achieved when infrastructure gaps were addressed alongside major industrial investments.
“Mr Dangote did not build a refinery. He built a country around a refinery, and then he built the refinery,” the governor said, highlighting the construction of the jetty and power plant to address infrastructure challenges.
He noted that the project endured significant challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, currency depreciation and rising costs, before eventually becoming operational.
The governor, however, cautioned that such a model could not be Africa’s long-term approach to development.
“Scale that depends on one man building his own port and his own power plant is not real scale. It is heroism. And heroism does not repeat,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu urged the Young Global Leaders to move beyond discussions and transform the relationships established during the gathering into practical projects capable of solving real problems across Africa.
He also encouraged participants to approach international partnerships from a position of confidence, arguing that Africa should engage the world as an equal partner rather than wait for external permission to develop.
Drawing a comparison between Lagos and New York, the governor said both cities demonstrated how determination, migration and collaboration could drive urban development.
“Lagos and New York are not strangers. They are the same argument in two accents,” he said, urging the participants to take the lessons from both cities and apply them to Africa’s development.
Sanwo-Olu stressed that Africa’s next phase of growth would require collective ownership, stronger institutions and collaboration between governments, private investors, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and the diaspora.
Comments