True Economic Independence Impossible Without Technical Sovereignty – Dangote

President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has called for urgent investment in local manufacturing and power infrastructure, stressing that Nigeria must design and build what it consumes to achieve economic independence.

Speaking at the Nigerian Academy of Engineering induction ceremony in Lagos, where he was honoured as a Distinguished Fellow, Dangote said: “True economic independence is impossible without technical sovereignty. We must fabricate, design and build what we consume.”

He emphasised the importance of electricity infrastructure, describing power grids as critical to industrial growth.

“Our task is urgent. We must build power grids. This power is important; we must build it. Together, let us engineer a Nigeria that works not just for some, but for everyone,” he said.

Dangote highlighted engineering innovation at the Dangote Refinery, noting that its design capacity surpasses many global facilities.

He said the group’s vision is to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in products once heavily imported.

He also warned about the growing impact of artificial intelligence on engineering, urging professionals to shape how the technology evolves in their field.

Meanwhile, at a recent summit in Nairobi, Kenya, Dangote announced plans for a 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in East Africa, part of a $40 billion investment drive.

He said the project, similar in scale to the Lagos refinery, would depend on government support but remains achievable.

Dangote reaffirmed his commitment to driving industrialisation across Africa, saying the group’s long-term ambition is to demonstrate that self-sufficiency is both practical and achievable at scale.