By Kunle Sanni
Vice President Kashim Shettima has commended billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote for prioritising national development over personal profit through his $19 billion investment in Nigeria’s oil refining sector.
Speaking at the Taraba International Investment Summit in Jalingo on Wednesday, Shettima noted that if Dangote had invested the same amount in global tech giants like Amazon, Google, or Microsoft, his net worth could have soared to as much as $120 billion.
“Dangote began this project around 2007/2008. If he had invested that money in companies like Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, today he would be worth over $120 billion,” Shettima said. “But he chose to invest in Nigeria — that’s the mark of a true patriot.”
The Vice President, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the summit, described Dangote’s decision as a reflection of long-term confidence in Nigeria’s future and called on other investors to emulate his example. He also described Taraba State as the “agricultural powerhouse of Nigeria,” urging stakeholders to explore its economic potential.
Aliko Dangote, in his remarks, urged both government and private sector players to work in synergy to transform Taraba into a viable economic hub. He emphasised the importance of policies that protect local investors, warning that foreign investment will only follow when domestic businesses are thriving.
“Foreign direct investment is important,” Dangote said, “but no foreign investor will come if local investors are not succeeding. We need to make Nigeria work for Nigerians first.”
Also speaking at the event, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar advised Governor Agbu Kefas to focus on infrastructure development and forge strong partnerships with the private sector to drive sustainable growth.