Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has encouraged Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to invest in the ongoing Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Obi, in a statement, said he had been approached by Nigerians seeking his opinion on the refinery’s public offering.
“While encouraging them to buy, I must say that I remain very proud of the commitment and breakthrough of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s investment in the real sector of our country’s economy, across different sectors,” Obi said.
He described the Dangote investment as a validation of his long-standing position that Nigeria must move from a consumption-driven economy to one focused on production.
Obi also called on other Nigerian businesses to invest more heavily in productive sectors of the economy.
According to him, Nigerian companies should emulate the model of opening up ownership of major investments to citizens through public offerings.
“I, therefore, encourage other Nigerian businesses to invest in the productive sectors of the Nigerian economy and also give fellow Nigerian citizens the opportunity to be part of the re-industrialization of the country by offering their shares to the public through public offerings,” he added.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, one of Africa’s largest oil refineries, has become a major symbol of Nigeria’s push towards domestic refining and reduced dependence on imported petroleum products.