The Dangote Refinery, poised to become one of the world’s largest petroleum producers, is primarily operated by a new generation of Nigerian engineers.
Remarkably, these engineers have an average age of 26, placing them squarely within the Gen Z demographic.
With a capacity to produce 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery is set to become one of the largest suppliers of petroleum products globally. As you step into the complex, the scale of operations is immediately evident.
The refinery’s expansive network of pipes, distillation columns, and control rooms hum with activity, reflecting the intricate processes at play.
Built at an estimated cost of $19 billion, it is the largest refinery in Africa and Europe. However, beyond its industrial scale, the true marvel lies in its workforce.
Gen Z Engineers
Young professionals, many with advanced degrees, are the backbone of this expansive facility. These engineers, predominantly aged between 26 and 28 and mostly educated in Nigeria, are integral to the refinery’s operations. Clad in white lab coats and overalls, and exuding youthful enthusiasm, they manage complex machinery and processes with remarkable expertise.
Aliko Dangote, the chairman of the Dangote Group, emphasized the importance of harnessing local talent. “We believe in the young ones. We have a system where we train them and enrol them in different programs locally and abroad. They are highly skilled and motivated. Some of them have PhDs; you’d be surprised,” Dangote stated in a media parley at the refinery premises in Lekki.
The average age of the employees is around 28 years old, with two to four years of experience in the refining business.
The choice to go for young employees was not a difficult one for Dangote. Decades of importation of petroleum products are evidence of refineries that do not function. Before the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria had four major refineries built during the military era.
The last time they functioned fully was almost two decades ago, suggesting most of their workforce is aging and out of touch with modern refining skills.
Aliko Dangote also acknowledges the challenges faced by managing young people, especially amid the “Japa’ wave, where many seek a better life outside Nigeria, looking for opportunities in countries like Canada where young and skilled workers are highly sought after.
To mitigate this risk, the staff are well trained and paid competitive living wages to ensure that they remain happy. “We pay our employees well and increase salaries very often. However, we know we can still lose some of them to foreign countries or international oil companies, no matter what we pay. However, we have created a pipeline that ensures we hire the brightest minds from Nigerian universities,” Aliko Dangote stated.
Among the current crop of Gen-Z employees are mechanical engineers, civil engineers, oil and gas specialists, and chemical engineers, all contributing to the refinery’s operations.
The engineers took time to explain their roles and simplify the complex methods they employ as part of their operations in the firm.
One mechanical engineer shared, “My role involves ensuring that all the machinery operates smoothly, from the distillation columns to the pipelines.”
A chemical engineer who recently finished his master’s at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria added, “We focus on refining processes, making sure that crude oil is converted efficiently into various products, as we prepare for the production of PMS in the coming weeks.”
An oil and gas specialist from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) also working at the refinery explained, “Our job is to manage the flow of crude oil into the refinery and oversee the distribution of the refined products.”
Dangote Refinery employs over 3,000 employees, with the fertilizer plant alone employing close to 1,500 directly and another 5,000 indirectly.
The refinery is expected to begin selling petrol to local marketers next month.