President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has called for urgent investment in local manufacturing and electricity infrastructure, stressing that Nigeria must produce what it consumes to achieve true economic independence.

Dangote made the call at the induction ceremony of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering held in Victoria Island, Lagos, where he was honoured as a Distinguished Honorary Fellow.

The billionaire industrialist underscored the importance of stable power supply to industrial growth, describing it as a critical foundation for national development.

“True economic independence is impossible without technical sovereignty. We must fabricate, design and build what we consume,” he said, urging engineers and stakeholders to prioritise the development of power infrastructure.

He emphasised the need to build reliable power grids, noting that sustainable electricity remains essential for driving industrialisation and economic growth.

Dangote highlighted engineering innovation as a key factor behind the success of the Dangote Refinery, which he said was designed to rival leading global facilities in scale and capacity.

“Our vision has always been to make Nigeria, and Africa, self-sufficient in products we once heavily imported, and to show that this is achievable at scale,” he added.

He reaffirmed his group’s commitment to advancing industrialisation across Nigeria and the African continent through strategic, large-scale investments.

The business mogul also raised concerns about the growing influence of artificial intelligence in engineering, warning that it could replace aspects of design processes if not carefully managed. He urged professionals to take an active role in shaping how the technology is integrated into the sector.

At a recent summit in Nairobi, Dangote revealed plans to expand industrial operations beyond Nigeria, including a proposed 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery in East Africa as part of a $40 billion investment strategy, subject to government support.