Togolese President Visits Dangote Refinery

Togo’s President, Faure Gnassingbe, is in Lagos for a visit to the Dangote Refinery at the Lekki Trade Zone.

President Gnassingbe on Tuesday arrived the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

The President and his entourage were received by the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enalemah, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Alinko Dangote and some members of the business community.

President Gnassingbe’s visit to the refinery is premised on a possible business partnership between Dangote Group and the West African country.

The Togolee President also met with President Muhammadu Buhari. Both presidents met for about an hour in the President’s office.

While President Buhari commended Mr Aliko Dangote for his effort in the building of the refinery, the visiting president said that the refinery would go a long way to promote trade and contribute to reduce import from non-African countries.

Stabilise Niger Delta

President Buhari also promised that the Nigerian government would do all in its powers to stabilise the Niger Delta region to make the pumping of gas to other West African countries easy.

President Buhari had made a similar promise to the new President of Benin Republic, Mr Patrice Talon who also visited Nigeria for bilateral talks.

The discussion between the two leaders at the Presidential Villa centred on security, power and trade relations.

President Buhari thanked Benin Republic for contributing to the effort to check the Boko Haram insurgency and called on the West African nations to beware of restrictions on trade relations.

President Talon described Nigeria as a big brother who is needed at all times for his country to stabilise, especially in the power sector.