“Nothing is Impossible”: Dangote Inspires Harvard Scholars with Entrepreneurial Vision

‘Dangote, a Visionary Entrepreneur Driving Global Solutions’

Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, has called on young entrepreneurs and scholars to break through limitations and pursue their ambitions with unwavering determination to drive global transformation.

The billionaire industrialist made this appeal during an engagement with a delegation of Harvard Kennedy School scholars at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals complex and Dangote Fertiliser Limited in Ibeju Lekki, Lagos.

Emphasizing the Power of Ambition

Addressing 50 scholars from 18 countries, Dangote underscored the importance of ambition, resilience, and a ‘can-do’ spirit—principles that have driven the Dangote Group to construct the world’s largest single-train refinery.

“Life is not worth living without ambition. In this life, nothing is impossible. Don’t allow fear to hold you back. Be knowledgeable about the business you want to pursue. I am not an engineer, but I don’t engage in any business I don’t understand,” he said.

He recounted how skeptics doubted the feasibility of his refinery project, arguing that such mega-industrial ventures were only achievable by sovereign nations. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and crude oil supply challenges, Dangote highlighted how innovation and persistence enabled the completion of the state-of-the-art refinery, which produces Euro V fuel and processes over 100 different crude oil types.

The Monumental Achievement of the Dangote Refinery

Edwin Devakumar, Vice President, Oil & Gas, Dangote Group, described the refinery as a testament to vision, courage, and determination. He noted that the company undertook the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) of the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery—an unprecedented feat.

“Our Group President has a plaque in his office that reads, ‘nothing is impossible.’ This is the mindset he instilled in us when faced with challenges. He does not accept impossibilities and always aims for excellence. This approach was the same when we revolutionized the cement industry in Nigeria. We turned the country from one of the largest importers of cement into a net exporter.

“Today, after decades of reliance on imported refined products, Nigeria can now meet its domestic demand and even export surplus jet fuel, gasoline, and diesel. The refinery also produces key industrial byproducts such as polypropylene, carbon black feedstock, and sulfur,” Devakumar explained.

Strategic Investments in Innovation and Infrastructure

To realize the project, Devakumar revealed that the group invested heavily in infrastructure, including:

• Dredging 65 million cubic meters of sand to elevate the site by 1.5 meters, mitigating climate change-induced sea-level rise.
• Procuring 330 cranes and lifting equipment due to limited local capacity.
• Constructing the world’s largest granite quarry to supply aggregates for the refinery.
• Installing 250,000 foundation piles—the highest ever used for a single project.

Global Scholars Laud Dangote’s Vision

The Harvard scholars, who toured the refinery and fertilizer plant, were in awe of the project’s scale and impact. They praised Dangote as a visionary leader reshaping industries and economies.

Sheffy Kolade, leader of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Nigeria-Ghana Trek, described Dangote Group as a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience and transformation.

“The Dangote Group is not just a business. It is a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience. It represents the extraordinary achievements possible when we commit to a vision. We have witnessed Africa’s largest single-train refinery and a fertilizer plant exporting products to South America and the U.S.,” she said.

A social entrepreneur and member of the Forbes Business Council, Kolade further highlighted the refinery’s economic contributions, including job creation, energy security, and foreign exchange growth.

Darrow Merton, a Foreign Service Officer with the U.S. government, hailed Dangote’s resilience and innovation. “He has not only broken barriers to build this refinery but has also demonstrated how entrepreneurial ingenuity can solve global challenges,” he stated.

A Legacy of Impact and Inspiration

As the scholars departed, they carried with them valuable lessons on determination, vision, and impact. Dangote’s message was clear: ambition, knowledge, and perseverance can turn the impossible into reality.