President and 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.
Dangote spoke 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.
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.
The scholars, who toured the complexes, were in awe and praised Dangote for his ambitious vision.
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.
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.”
