Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the Dangote Refinery as an example of Africa’s ability to execute large-scale industrial projects, saying the facility required the development of supporting infrastructure because existing facilities could not meet its needs.
Sanwo-Olu made the remarks on Thursday at the Africa–Diaspora Leadership Programme 2026 Young Global Leaders Convening, themed “Building Africa at Scale,” at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
The governor said the refinery was developed on reclaimed land and required additional infrastructure, including a jetty and power plant, to support its operations.
“Mr Dangote did not build a refinery. He built a country around a refinery, and then he built the refinery,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said the absence of a port capable of receiving the equipment led to the construction of a jetty, while inadequate power supply prompted the development of a power plant.
Sanwo-Olu said the project also faced delays, increased costs, the COVID-19 pandemic and significant currency depreciation before becoming operational.
“It runs. That is the first thing to note: Africa can build on a market-changing scale,” he said.
The governor, however, warned that Africa could not depend on individual entrepreneurs overcoming infrastructure deficiencies every time a major project was proposed.
“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 said the focus should be on creating infrastructure and systems that make it easier for subsequent investors to undertake major projects.
He cited the Lekki Deep Sea Port, Lekki Free Zone and Lagos Blue Line rail as infrastructure developments intended to reduce barriers for investors and support future economic activity.
The governor also called for increased participation by African pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and members of the African diaspora in strategic assets across the continent.
He said Africa’s next phase of growth would require collective ownership and collaboration rather than dependence on individual initiatives.
Sanwo-Olu urged participants in the Young Global Leaders programme to turn relationships developed during the gathering into practical projects that address real challenges.
He also encouraged Africans to approach international partnerships from a position of confidence and shared interests.
Drawing a comparison between Lagos and New York, the governor said both cities demonstrated how determination and collaboration could overcome difficult conditions in building major urban centres.
“Lagos and New York are not strangers. They are the same argument in two accents: that a city can be made from the sheer determination of people who refused to wait for conditions to be perfect,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said Africa should pursue development without waiting for external permission, while welcoming international partners prepared to engage the continent on the basis of shared interests.
Dangote Built Country Around Refinery, Sanwo-Olu Says
