The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has the opportunity to increase its 7.2 per cent stake in the Dangote refinery.

However, Dangote said this would happen after he must have proven to the state-owned company what the refinery can do.

Dangote stated this in a recent interview with S&P Global Commodity Insights.

“The door remains open for Nigerian National Petroleum Co. to boost its stake after the state oil company trimmed its interest to 7.2 per cent, but not before its next phase of growth is well underway.

“I want to demonstrate what this refinery can do, then we can sit down and talk,” Dangote was quoted as saying.

A close aide of Dangote was also reported to have said that the company would exert caution before inviting additional participation from NNPC.

Within the next year, he noted that the refining business will list 5–10 per cent of its shares on the Nigerian stock exchange.