Aliko Dangote, Founder and President/Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, the largest conglomerate in West Africa, on Friday said Benedict Oramah, outgoing President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), turned many African dreams into reality through his visionary leadership and unwavering support for the continent’s industrial transformation.
Speaking at the Afreximbank Legacy Conference and Investiture in Cairo, Dangote described Oramah as “the man who made the impossible possible,” praising him as a visionary and bold leader under whose guidance “Africa’s dreams and aspirations have been materialised by Afreximbank, Africa’s crisis-solving bank.”
He recalled the vital role Afreximbank played when his group embarked on the audacious project of building the Dangote Refinery, saying, “When we had the dream of putting up a refinery, one of the foremost banks that actually supported us was Afreximbank under the leadership of Professor Oramah. At that time, we really didn’t even know what we were doing. We just said maybe 300,000 barrels per day. From there, we changed it to 400,000 because the biggest then was 450,000 built by Saudi Aramco. Later, we decided to do what had never been done before in the world.”
Dangote said very few believed in the project at the time. “Access Bank, Zenith Bank, and a few others joined Afreximbank in believing in the refinery dream. Even Femi Otedola believed it was possible,” he noted. “We said we wanted to build a refinery 50% bigger than anything ever built by multinationals or sovereign nations.”
He emphasised that without Afreximbank, the Dangote refinery, petrochemical, and fertilizer projects “would never have been possible,”adding that Africa must continue to build strong African-owned banks that understand and trust African entrepreneurs. “That’s why I’ve always said we need our own banks. Nobody will ask you for your great-grandfather’s birth certificate before giving you a loan,” he said, describing Afreximbank as “the right bank for Africa.”
Turning to Oramah, Dangote praised him for turning African dreams into tangible realities.
“You have done what nobody expected you could do. You turned our dreams into reality. A dream is just a dream until someone helps you make it real,” he said.
Dangote recalled that during difficult periods of construction, whenever he felt low, he would call Oramah, who would always find words to re-energize him. “He would say something that made me feel recharged again. I must thank you, my brother. You have been a very good friend and partner.”
He also acknowledged Afreximbank’s board, jokingly referring to one of its members, as “the most troublesome man in the bank’s board,” drawing laughter from the audience.
Dangote described the day as bittersweet, one for reflection and immense gratitude. “As Africans, our culture teaches us to embrace the finality of a journey,” he said. “Over the past four decades as an entrepreneur, I’ve travelled across this great continent, meeting presidents, prime ministers, statesmen, and women from all walks of life. I’ve seen the good, the great, the bad, the bold, the beautiful, and the ugly. The man we celebrate today, Professor Benedict Oramah, represents the very best qualities among us. You are a rare gift to our continent from Almighty God.”
Source: Business Day
