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PICTURE: SHOLAYE JEREMI-FEMI OTEDOLA-DR. IBE KACHIKWU AND ALIKO DANGOTE

Nigeria’s state minister for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has urged Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote to speed up the construction of his refinery located in Lagos state.

He said this during a visit to the Dangote Oil Refinery site at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos. He said the government is ready to play its part to assist in making sure the project is completed on schedule.

“It is good to say that private sector is the answer to Nigerian’s problems with a project as big as this. The challenge I will give you today is that of time, I see your time for completion is 2019 December but I am sure you will understand my greed if I tell you that the refinery component of this project should come earlier than the set date.

“I have made very firm commitment to Nigerians that I must stop the importation of petroleum products by 2019 and I am going to keep to it. It is absolutely important that we do this early and given the feat that we have achieved in terms of speed of construction and I urge you to do all within you to achieve its completion before the due date.”