Aisha Yesufu Calls for Unity to Save Dangote Refinery

Aisha Yesufu, a critic of the government, has criticized Nigeria's treatment of its own businesses and called for collective support to ensure the success of Dangote's refinery. This appeal for assistance comes as the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) is yet to grant the refinery permission to start operating.

Farouk Ahmed, the CEO of NMDPRA, revealed that the refinery is still in the pre-commissioning stage and has not received the required licensing due to concerns about the quality of its petroleum products. Ahmed stated that the refinery has not met the quality standards for sulphur content, which must be below 50 parts per million (ppm) according to West African rules.

In response to a social media user's call for punishment against the regulatory authority for its claims, Aisha Yesufu urged Nigerians to focus on supporting the refinery instead. She emphasized the challenges faced by Nigerian businesses without government connections, highlighting that Dangote is now facing similar obstacles.

In her tweet, Yesufu said, "Nigeria kills its own. I truly agree with you; the refinery should not fail. Everyone needs to work together to ensure it succeeds. Alhaji Dangote, @AlikoDangote, now feels what Nigerian entrepreneurs with no government connections have always felt and gone through. How dreams are stolen and destroyed. Just yesterday, LandMark got its share without public outcry from the business community."

She stressed the need to speak out against injustices affecting businesses to prevent such problems from recurring and impacting others. "When you speak up when others are affected, it is to ensure that a stop is put to such injustice so it never gets to you," she added.