Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, took a group of Nigerian musicians, actors and content creators on an exclusive tour of his refinery in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos. And because everyone is talking about Dangote these days, the obvious question is: why invite entertainers to a refinery?
First, the plant itself. The Dangote refinery is designed to process over 650,000 barrels of crude a day, making it one of the world’s largest single-train refineries. Reported to cost more than $20 billion, it is meant to cut Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel and the dollars spent on it.
Dangote says his generation must do a better job of engaging young people directly. Most Nigerians are young, and entertainers and creators can carry his Vision 2030 message to them, giving him reach.
Nigerian entertainers command audiences well beyond the country’s borders, and their appearances and posts influence how millions of people encounter news about business and politics, hence the label ‘influencers’. A tour of an industrial site hands them a story outside their usual fare.
Dangote also praised the creative sector, pointing out that Nigerian artists built global careers in music and film without state support. For him, the stars’ endorsement is worth much since it can change how an industrial project is seen by the public.
With the refinery fully operational, there is talk that Dangote hopes high-earning entertainers will become plenty-money investors, although nothing of the sort has been made known to the public.
The plant’s real test is fuel supplied and jobs created, and it keeps drawing scrutiny from businesses and consumers. Then again, influencers can do wonders, especially with facts that are themselves already attractive.