A fire incident at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos was quickly brought under control on Wednesday.
Residents and commuters in the area reported seeing a thick black smoke of fire rising from the refinery and filling the sky.
However, a statement issued by the refinery same day described the outbreak as a ‘minor fire’ at its effluent treatment plant (ETP) earlier in the day.
Spokesperson for the Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, who issued the statement said,
“We have swiftly contained a minor fire incident at our effluent treatment plant (ETP), today Wednesday, 26th June.
“There is no cause for alarm as the refinery is operating and there is no recorded injury or body harm to all our staff on duty.”
The refinery, located in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State, faced temporary disruption due to the fire.
The cause of the fire is currently unknown but is said to be under investigation.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s wealthiest individual and founder of the refinery, has previously spoken about the challenges faced during the project’s development, including resistance from vested interests within the oil sector.
Despite these challenges, the refinery aims to significantly bolster Nigeria’s refining capacity once fully operational.
The Dangote Refinery, a $19 billion project initiated by the billionaire, is one of the largest refineries in the world.
The refinery has faced challenges ranging from logistical complexities to resistance from various interest groups within the oil sector.
Despite these obstacles, the project remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s ambitions to achieve energy self-sufficiency and reduce dependency on imported petroleum products.
The refinery is expected to release further details following a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the fire.
