Global Project Management Institute Hails Dangote Refinery as Model of Excellence

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has received international recognition from the global board of the Project Management Institute (PMI), which described the multi-billion-dollar facility as a world-class benchmark in project execution and excellence.

In a statement on Tuesday, PMI disclosed that its delegation, led by the Chief of Staff to the global Chief Executive Officer, Lenka Pincot, visited Nigeria and was hosted by the Dangote Group’s internal Community of Practice for Project Management.

Pincot, who represented the PMI Global CEO, praised the refinery’s scale, efficiency, and transformative impact on Nigeria and the global energy market, calling it “a living embodiment of PMI’s mission to elevate the world through successful projects.”

“At PMI, our goal is to maximise project success to make a global impact. The Dangote Refinery is a stunning example of that vision in action,” Pincot said. “Beyond the engineering and infrastructure, we see how this project uplifts an entire ecosystem—supporting the economy, creating jobs, and advancing sustainability.”

She added that PMI was eager to deepen its collaboration with Dangote Industries to share lessons from the refinery’s success with project managers worldwide. “There is much the global community can learn from this achievement—from the magnitude of ambition to the precision of execution,” she said.

Speaking on the project’s implementation, Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited, credited the refinery’s success to the Group’s strong foundation in structured project management and meticulous planning.

“From inception, the refinery project was guided by a robust framework of planning, risk management, and execution discipline consistent with global standards. This approach has been central to delivering large-scale, world-class projects that drive industrial and economic growth,” Edwin stated.

Group Chief Human Resource Officer, Nglan Niat, highlighted Dangote’s investment in developing internal project management expertise. “We procured 300 PMI licenses and launched the Project Management Development Programme to build internal capacity and foster a culture of excellence, accountability, and efficiency,” she explained.

PMI’s Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, George Asamani, commended the refinery as a milestone for Africa’s industrial advancement. “Being here to witness this achievement is phenomenal. It showcases what visionary leadership and disciplined project management can achieve,” he said, adding that future collaborations would focus on innovation, artificial intelligence, and sustainability in construction.

Similarly, PMI’s Head of Community for Sub-Saharan Africa, Adeola Akande, described the Dangote Refinery as “a symbol of visionary leadership and Nigeria’s growing project management capability.”

In a presentation titled “Community of Practice: The Journey So Far at Dangote Industries Limited,” Dangote Group’s Head of Procurement, Shehu Adekanye, noted that the company’s internal project management community—launched in June 2025—aims to transform project management from an individual skill into an organisational strength driving continuous improvement across the Group.