Vice President, Kashim Shettima has said that Nigeria is bigger than any trade union or group interest.
He made this statement on Monday in Abuja during the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES31), themed “The Reform Imperative: Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Nigeria by 2030.”
Shettima stressed that the Dangote Refinery must be protected because it is a $20 billion national investment that can transform Nigeria’s economy.
The Vice President’s comment comes amid an industrial dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Refinery, which has a production capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
According to Shettima, Aliko Dangote represents more than an individual businessman. “Aliko Dangote is an institution and one of the brightest lights in Nigeria’s economy. How we treat him will show the world how we treat our investors,” he said.
He added that if Dangote had invested his money in companies like Microsoft or Amazon abroad, he would have made far greater profits. “But he chose to invest in his country, and we must protect and promote that,” he said.
Shettima urged both labour unions and the private sector to act with patriotism and work together in the national interest. “It’s not right to hold the entire nation hostage because of a small labour disagreement. Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN, and greater than all of us,” he stated.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Olaniyi Yusuf, noted that although Nigeria’s fiscal situation had slightly improved, foreign investment remained weak.
Yusuf said the treatment of local investors like Dangote would influence how foreign investors view the country’s business environment. He called for consistent policies, investor protection, and transparent systems for resolving disputes.
“How we treat domestic investors sends the right message to foreign ones,” Yusuf added, urging the government to maintain clear and stable economic policies despite challenges such as inflation, high debt service, and weak investor confidence.
Nigeria bigger than PENGASSAN, – VP Shettima