Nothing is Impossible, Dangote Tells Harvard Scholars

…Dangote, an Entrepreneurial Genius, Providing Innovative Solutions’

The President/Chief Executive, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has urged young entrepreneurs and scholars to rise above limitations and push their ambitions to help transform the world into a better place.

The prominent industrialist made this call on Wednesday when a delegation of Harvard Kennedy School scholars visited the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals complex and Dangote Fertiliser Limited in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

Addressing the 50 scholars, representing 18 different nationalities from across the globe, Dangote emphasised the importance of being driven by ambition and a ‘can-do’ spirit, as exemplified by the Dangote Group in constructing the world’s largest single-train refinery.

He stressed that ambition should be paired with a desire to create a legacy and make an impact, not simply for profit.

“Life is not worth living without ambition. In this life, nothing is impossible. Don’t allow fear to hold you back. Be knowledgeable about the business you want to pursue. I am not an engineer, but I don’t engage in any business I don’t understand,” he said.

Dangote, who spent over 40 minutes answering questions from the scholars, recalled being advised against building the refinery, as many argued that such mega projects were only feasible for sovereign nations, not individuals. He shared that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company had to find ways to sustain the project. He also noted that the ingenuity involved in constructing a world-class refinery, which meets global best practices, produces Euro V products, and is capable of processing over 100 different types of crude oil, has kept it running despite shortage of Nigerian crude oil.

Vice President, Oil & Gas, Dangote Group, Edwin Devakumar,  explained that building the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery was a monumental feat that required immense courage, vision, and determination. He pointed out that the group acted as its own Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor for the project – a refinery with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day – a feat that had never been attempted before.

“Our Group President has a plaque in his office that reads, ‘nothing is impossible.’ This is the mindset he instilled in us when faced with challenges. He does not accept impossibilities and always aims for excellence. This approach was the same when we revolutionised the cement industry in Nigeria. We turned the country from one of the largest importers of cement into a net exporter. Today, after decades of depending on imported refined products, we now have the capacity to meet all of Nigeria’s refined product demands, with surplus supplies of jet A1, gasoline, and diesel for export. Other products from the refinery include polypropylene, carbon black feedstock, and sulphur,” he said.

Devakumar highlighted the significant investments made to realise the project, including dredging 65 million cubic metres of sand to raise the height of the site by 1.5 metres to safeguard against potential sea level rises due to global warming. The group also procured 330 cranes and lifting equipment due to the lack of local capacity, built the world’s largest granite quarry to supply materials such as coarse aggregates, stone columns, and stone dust, and constructed the refinery on 250,000 piles – potentially the largest number ever used for a single project.

The scholars, who toured the magnificent complexes, were in awe and praised Dangote for his ambitious vision, which seeks to address global needs. They commended him as an inspiration and entrepreneurial genius, with many describing the visit to the refinery as the highlight of their tour, which also included stops in Ghana and Abuja.

Sheffy Kolade, leader of the Harvard Kennedy School student-led Nigeria-Ghana Trek and a global advisor for the Women for Prosperity project with the Atlantic Council’s Freedom and Prosperity Center, said that the Dangote Group symbolises Nigeria’s resilience and economic transformation.

“I want to start by saying that the Dangote Group is not just a business. It is a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience. It is a symbol of the bright future that lies ahead for us. It represents the extraordinary achievements possible when we put our minds to something. I am happy that we are here to witness the economic progress happening in Nigeria. We’ve seen the largest single-train refinery in the world, and we’ve visited a fertiliser plant that exports to South America and the US,” she said.

A social entrepreneur and a member of the Forbes Business Council, Kolade added, “From where we are standing, thousands of people earn their daily livelihood. This business has created numerous jobs and energy security for our country. It has reduced our reliance on imported petroleum products, and, of course, it is increasing our foreign reserves. I want to thank you, sir, for everything you’re doing for our country and for Africa. We appreciate it. It’s truly inspiring for us.”

Speaking about her team and their mission at the refinery, Kolade noted, “My team consists of 50 people from 18 different nationalities. We have people from nearly every continent. We are a blend of policy, business, sustainability, and development-minded individuals, most of whom are from the Harvard Kennedy School. There’s one from the Harvard Business School, one from Harvard Public Health, and others pursuing joint degrees with Harvard, Stanford, and MIT. We are all curious-minded people who value impact, sustainability, and progress.”

Another member of the team, Darrow Merton, a Foreign Service Officer with the United States, described Dangote’s vision and resilience as an inspiration to entrepreneurs. He praised Dangote for not only breaking barriers to build the refinery but also for his ability to provide innovative solutions in the face of adversity.