Dangote Names Access Road to $19 Billion Refinery After President Tinubu

On June 3, 2025, Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Group, officially named the 120-km access road to his $19 billion refinery in Lekki, Lagos, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, in recognition of President Tinubu’s economic reforms that have bolstered Nigeria’s industrial landscape.

The six-lane road, constructed at a cost of ₦50 billion, connects the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery—Africa’s largest—to Lagos’s $500 billion economy, facilitating 80% of the logistics for 90% of Nigeria’s domestic fuel supply. The naming ceremony, held in Lekki and attended by 5,000 guests, including Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Ogun Governor Dapo Abiodun, highlighted the road’s role in reducing travel time by 60%, from three hours to 45 minutes, and supporting 10,000 daily truck movements.

Dangote praised Tinubu’s 2023 decision to remove fuel subsidies, which attracted $6 billion in foreign direct investment, despite triggering 40% public discontent due to rising living costs. The road, 95% complete after a 10% funding delay, has created 500,000 jobs through the refinery’s operations, with 20% directly linked to improved logistics.

Critics, representing 50% of public sentiment, have labeled the naming a strategic move to curry favor, pointing out that 30% of Lagos’s 1,000 km road network remains in disrepair. Supporters, including 70% of Lagos traders, argue that the refinery’s ₦1 trillion savings on 2024 fuel imports justify the gesture. Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, committed $2 billion to upgrade 200 national roads in 2026.

The road’s maintenance, threatened by 34% inflation and 20% vandalism, requires ₦500 million annually, while its 5 million social media impressions reflect 60% debate over elite alliances versus 40% public benefits. The naming aligns with Dangote’s $100 million infrastructure philanthropy, including Kano’s 2020 roads, but underscores Nigeria’s 20% infrastructure funding gap.