Petrol: Be Moderate With Your Price, Showunmi Tells Dangote

• Public affairs analyst Otunba Segun Showunmi praises Dangote Refinery for its first petrol sample, calling it a milestone for Nigeria
• Showunmi urges Dangote to maintain moderate petrol pricing, emphasizing the need for empathy towards Nigerians burdened by high costs

Public affairs analyst Otunba Segun Showunmi has praised the Dangote Refinery for presenting its first sample of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from its 650,000-barrel-per-day capacity refinery. Showunmi hailed this achievement as a milestone that has ended “the shame and burden which Nigerians have carried for too long.”

Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, presented the first petrol sample in a broadcast at the refinery in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State. Dangote stated that the refinery would not only meet Nigeria’s needs but also serve sub-Saharan Africa. He thanked President Bola Tinubu for making local petrol refining a reality.

In a statement released shortly after the presentation, Showunmi commended Dangote for “redeeming our pride as black people, proving that we are capable of contributing value and engaging in activities that others do.” He noted the significance of the Dangote Refinery’s production of PMS in Nigeria.

However, Showunmi urged Dangote to exercise moderation in pricing the petrol. He stated, “A grateful nation thanks you. As a pan-Nigerian patriot, I thank you from the depth of my soul for ending the long-lasting shame. It would help if you tried as much as possible to moderate your pricing because our people have borne such a heavy burden for so long. I understand the need for sustainable pricing, but please ensure that the markup considers our people’s situation.”

Showunmi further highlighted Dangote’s rich family history, referencing his great-grandfather Alhassan, his grandfather Sanusi, his father Aminu Dangote, and his supportive mother Hajia Mariya, whose charitable deeds were well-known in Kano.

“Profit is good, but nationalism, patriotism, and empathy must be your guide,” he advised. He concluded by wishing blessings and prosperity for the Dangote Refinery, its workers, and all associated with it, hoping it would grow from strength to strength.

He ended his statement by calling for Nigeria to “awake, stand up, and take its rightful place in the comity of nations.”