President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, says investors applying with N50,000 and below will get priority in Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offering (IPO) as the company seeks to democratise ownership of the refinery.
Dangote spoke at the final leg of a nationwide IPO roadshow held in Port Harcourt Rivers State, where investors, financial market experts, business leaders and other stakeholders discussed investment opportunities and its implications for Nigeria’s economic transformation.
He said IPO should be viewed not merely as an investment opportunity but as a chance for Nigerians to own a stake in a landmark industrial enterprise that is reshaping the country’s industrial landscape.
He said, “We will prioritise people with N50,000 and below,” underscoring determination to make offering accessible to small and medium scale investors across the country.
He noted that while international and African investors had already committed substantial capital to the refinery, IPO now offers Nigerians a rare opportunity to participate directly in ownership of a world class industrial project built on Nigerian soil.
According to him, investing in a refinery goes beyond financial returns, representing a vote of confidence in Nigeria’s future, institutional development, corporate governance standards and industrial capacity.
He said, “African investors have invested in this refinery. Now it is time for Nigerians to invest in themselves and participate in a project that is creating value, jobs and opportunities for generations to come.”
In a statement by the group on Wednesday, Dangote encouraged prospective shareholders to adopt a long term investment perspective, noting that participation in an IPO presents a pathway to wealth creation, portfolio diversification and increased public engagement with the capital market.
He added that wider participation in the stock market would deepen financial literacy, promote savings and investment culture and enable more Nigerians to understand how businesses create value and contribute to economic growth.
The roadshow featured presentations from economists and market analysts.
Economist Bismarck Rewane highlighted the economic potential of the South South region and the need to convert resource endowment into sustainable prosperity, infrastructure development and improved living standards. He noted the IPO presents an opportunity to deepen the capital market by encouraging citizens to participate actively in wealth creation.
Economist Dr Muda Yusuf outlined refinery far reaching impact on economic diversification, domestic value addition, energy security, capital formation and employment generation, saying refinery is catalyst for growth across petrochemicals, packaging, manufacturing, logistics and other downstream industries.
He said policy consistency, regulatory stability and sustained stakeholder engagement remain critical to maintaining investor confidence and attracting long term capital.
Yusuf described the refinery as a major example of domestic value addition, noting its extensive local content and industrial linkages would amplify its contribution to the Nigerian economy.
Legal luminary and business leader Paul Usoro expressed satisfaction at the level of participation from investors across the region, saying, “My joy is to see South South well represented.”
The Port Harcourt event marked the final stop of a nationwide IPO roadshow designed to deepen public awareness and expand participation in what is regarded as one of most significant capital market offerings in Nigeria history.
