Nigeria, May 9 -- Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, has put to rest speculations of a rift with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), stating emphatically that the Dangote Refinery is not in competition with the state-owned energy giant.

During a high-profile visit to NNPC's new Group CEO, Bayo Ojulari, in Abuja on Thursday, Dangote emphasized collaboration over competition.

"There is no competition between us; we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd," he stated. "This is an era of cooperation between the two organizations."

The visit, confirmed by NNPC spokesperson Olufemi Soneye on Friday, signals a strategic shift towards synergy in Nigeria's energy sector, following months of tension over crude supply pricing ...