The Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari, says the corporation is not in contest for market share with the forthcoming Dangote Refinery.

Kyari disclosed this in a statement signed by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, the spokesman for the corporation, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

He said that NNPC focus was on providing support to the promoters of the project to boost the country’s refining capacity.

Kyari was quoted to have said this while receiving the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, at the towers.

He explained that as the chief enabler of the Nigerian economy, the NNPC had a duty to rally industry players like Dangote Group to achieve the long held target of making Nigeria a net exporter of petroleum products.

He assured that the same level of support would be provided to other promoters of refineries, noting that the ultimate goal was to enhance the country’s production to the point of self-sufficiency and ultimately for export.

Earlier, Dangote emphasised that the business approach of the Dangote Refinery was to see NNPC as a collaborator rather than a competitor.

He noted that the refinery would rely heavily on the Corporation’s invaluable knowledge of the refining business in Nigeria to achieve its central objective.

Dangote aligned his company with the Federal Government’s aspiration to ensure adequate provision through the country’s refining capacity.

He added that upon completion, the refinery would dedicate 53 per cent of its projected 650,000 barrels per day refining capacity to the production of petrol.

“The most important thing for us is to see how we can partner with NNPC, it is not to see how we can compete with NNPC.

“We would like NNPC to be part of us and we also want to be part of NNPC. I think that is the only way we can achieve a win-win situation,” he said. (NAN)

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