Fifty-two newly trained engineers have successfully completed the prestigious Dangote Petroleum Refinery Graduate Trainee Programme and are now poised to be inducted as full-time employees of the world’s largest single-train refinery, located in Lagos.
The milestone marks the culmination of a rigorous two-year hands-on training initiative aimed at bridging academic knowledge with industrial expertise.
The latest cohort, Batch 10, includes graduates from disciplines such as Chemical Engineering, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
Their final task before induction involved the presentation and defence of comprehensive technical projects before senior refinery management over the weekend.
The Graduate Trainee Programme, which began before the refinery's operational commencement, is a cornerstone of Dangote Refinery’s talent development strategy.
It has successfully trained and employed hundreds of young engineers, offering them not only technical exposure but leadership development.
Head of Operations at Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Manas Banerjee, who represented Dangote Industries Limited’s Vice President of Oil and Gas, Mr Devakumar Edwin, congratulated the engineers on behalf of the management.
Banerjee encouraged the new employees to embrace innovation over routine maintenance.
“At Dangote Refinery, there is no role for a maintenance manager. We are not here just to maintain; we are here to improve. Innovation is the standard,” Banerjee stated.
Programme Coordinator and Assistant General Manager, Human Asset Management, Dr Ebele Oputa, offered further insight into the structure and philosophy behind the training.
She explained that the initiative is designed to align theoretical knowledge with practical refinery experience, fostering leadership skills in addition to technical competence.
“This programme equips young engineers not only with the technical skills necessary to operate and innovate in a high-performance environment, but also with the leadership capabilities to guide teams and make impactful decisions,” Oputa said.
According to her, the two-year programme follows a structured path: beginning with a three-week induction, followed by four to five months of observational shadowing, two weeks of equipment-focused classroom sessions, and six months of on-the-job training.
The final phase involves plant-specific assignments, supervised coaching, and project work, all of which culminate in staff confirmation upon successful evaluation.
She added that each participant undergoes at least two formal presentations, a written examination, and a project defence.
A confidential appraisal report assessing both character and performance is also submitted as part of the final evaluation process.
“These young engineers are recruited right after completing their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), all under the age of 30.
“The goal is to develop future industry leaders who are well-rounded in both technical and human-centered skills,” she added.
The new engineers expressed deep appreciation to the Dangote Refinery management for the opportunity.
Speaking on behalf of the batch, several trainees described the programme as a life-changing experience that fulfilled a lifelong ambition.
“We’re truly grateful for the comprehensive training and the chance to contribute to such a groundbreaking project.”
“We see this as a dream come true, and we are committed to living up to the trust the management has placed in us,” one trainee said.
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is a game-changer in Africa’s energy sector.
The continued development of young engineering talent aligns with the company’s broader mission to build local capacity and self-reliance in refining and petrochemicals.
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