₦airaland Forum

Dangote Targets Steel, Power, Ports In New Industrial Push

His latest flagship project, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, is now operational and producing about 650,000 barrels of refined products daily.

By Channels Television
March 3, 2026

President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled plans to expand into steel production, electricity generation, and port development as part of a broader ambition to accelerate industrialisation across Africa.

Dangote, whose conglomerate spans cement, sugar, salt, fertiliser, and petrochemicals, said in a statement on Monday, that his long-term goal is to deepen Africa’s manufacturing base beyond oil refining and position the continent as a global industrial force.

His latest flagship project, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals, is now operational and producing about 650,000 barrels of refined products daily. He said output is expected to double within the next three years as expansion plans progress.

However, Dangote, in a recent interview with The New York Times, indicated that refining is only one phase of a larger vision.

“We have to industrialise Africa,” he said, noting that his next focus areas include the steel industry, expanding access to electricity, and building additional port infrastructure to support large-scale manufacturing and trade.

Industry analysts say entry into steel would position the group in a sector critical to infrastructure, housing, and heavy industry, while investments in power and ports could address two of Nigeria’s most persistent constraints to economic growth.

Dangote cited India’s Tata Group as a model for diversified industrial expansion, describing the conglomerate’s multi-sector footprint as an example of how large-scale manufacturing can transform emerging economies.

Beyond expansion, Dangote said job creation remains central to his strategy. With Nigeria projected to require between 40 and 50 million new jobs by 2030, he argued that large-scale industrial projects are essential to absorbing the country’s growing youth population.

The refinery alone currently employs about 30,000 workers, approximately 80 per cent of them Nigerians. Expansion across new sectors is expected to raise total employment within the group to about 65,000.

Dangote also announced plans to list shares in the refinery on the Nigerian stock market, a move that would broaden local participation in the asset.

Despite progress, he acknowledged that infrastructure gaps and crude supply challenges remain obstacles. He has previously raised concerns about logistics bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the oil value chain that complicate feedstock supply to the refinery.

Nevertheless, Dangote said the group would continue to invest aggressively in sectors that reduce import dependence and retain economic value within Africa.

“Nobody dared to do it, so we did it,” he said, reiterating his belief that large-scale private investment is key to transforming Nigeria’s industrial landscape.

According to the statement, Dangote noted that with the cement plants operating across multiple African countries, and a refinery that has reshaped Nigeria’s downstream outlook, his next push into steel, electricity, and port infrastructure signals a new phase in his ambition to industrialise the continent.

Just in: This evening… in the Villa. Ahead of Lagos APC Congress tomorrow.

POV: Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) held a peaceful protest in the Maryland axis of Lagos. They were reportedly denouncing strikes against Iran's leadership. pic.twitter.com/zYklR6i6uH

— UPDATE VILLE (@UpdateVille) March 3, 2026

Pro-Iran Rally Rocks Potiskum As Ibrahim Zakzaky Followers Mourn Ali Khamenei


PRO-IRAN supporters staged a public rally in Potiskum, Yobe State, as followers of Ibrahim Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, marched through parts of the town to express solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran and condemn the reported killing of Ali Khamenei.

According to reports, the demonstrators gathered in large numbers, chanting slogans and carrying placards in support of Iran’s leadership while criticising what they described as foreign aggression. The rally, which was held under the banner of the Islamic Movement’s local chapter, was largely peaceful but drew attention from security operatives who monitored the procession to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

Participants described Khamenei as a symbol of resistance and called for unity among supporters of Iran’s political and religious leadership. The gathering also featured prayers and speeches condemning his reported killing and urging continued support for Iran.

Local authorities have not issued an official statement on the rally, and there were no immediate reports of violence or arrests. However, security presence was heightened in parts of Potiskum as a precautionary measure.

The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, a Shiite organisation led by Zakzaky, has in the past organised demonstrations in solidarity with Iran and its leadership, particularly during periods of heightened tensions involving the Middle Eastern country.

Protest erupts in Niger State, Nigeria over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Shiites are Members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) led by Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and they protest the killing of Ali Khamenei in coordinated airstrikes by the… pic.twitter.com/hMObAI64a4

— Pulse Nigeria (@PulseNigeria247) March 1, 2026

From the city of Kadun State– Nigeria, thousands of Muslim brothers, followers of Sayyid Ibraheem Zakzaky, have come out in a protest condemning the terrorist attack by the Zionist state against the Islamic Republic of #Iran.

📸Kaduna Media Forum

How the solidarity march in support of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place in Yola. The march was organized today, Sunday, by members of the Islamic Movement (the followers/students of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky) in Yola and its surrounding areas#WeStandWithIran #乃木坂工事中 pic.twitter.com/jWMW0B83m5

— Ibrahim salihu Muhammad (@IbrahimsalihuM6) March 1, 2026

IMN members protest in Kano over reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader

March 2, 2026

Hundreds of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) on Sunday staged a protest in Kano over the reported killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.

The demonstrators, carrying Iranian flags and portraits of Khamenei, marched through parts of the city in what they described as a solidarity action following the joint U.S.–Israeli strikes that reportedly led to the Iranian leader’s death.

The peaceful procession began at Fagge Central Mosque around 3 p.m. and ended at the IMN Islamic Centre in Kofar Waika, where participants held speeches and prayers.

Scholars who addressed the gathering spoke on developments in the Middle East and their potential global implications, while a special prayer session was conducted for the people of Iran, seeking divine intervention amid the escalating conflict.

When contacted, the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna, said he would verify details from the Divisional Police Officer in the area. As of the time of filing this report, no further official statement had been issued.

The protest remained orderly, with no reported incidents of violence.