Aliko Dangote’s multi-billion-dollar oil venture has once again sparked a national conversation—this time, not for its scale, but for its leadership choice.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Africa’s largest single-train refinery located in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, has appointed David B. Bird, a seasoned American energy executive, as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)—and the move is triggering a flurry of mixed reactions across Nigerian social media and industry circles.
Bird, who previously served as the Executive Vice President of Operations at Suncor Energy in Canada and has held top leadership roles at ExxonMobil and BP, is a respected figure in global oil circles.
His appointment, confirmed in internal Dangote Group communications and supported by credible industry reports, is seen by some as a bold strategy to bring international expertise into a deeply strategic national asset. But others are not celebrating.
Several users questioned why a refinery built with massive local support and long delays—one funded, promoted, and praised as Nigeria’s industrial pride—would turn to a foreigner to manage its core operations.
One viral comment read:
“180 million citizens and Dangote no trust any of us with him money 😂😂.”
The public concern appears rooted in long-standing national sentiments about indigenous capacity and employment equity.
Still, some Nigerians have defended the move, stating that refining is a highly technical field requiring hands-on global expertise, and a foreign CEO might bring the discipline, neutrality, and efficiency needed to steer the complex project toward full-scale production.
SEE VARIED REACTIONS BELOW
With the refinery seen as a major pillar in Nigeria’s hope for fuel self-sufficiency, the weight of this leadership choice will be closely watched, especially in a country where economic nationalism runs deep