Devakumar V. G. Edwin, vice president for oil and gas at Dangote Industries Limited, has been named Person of the Year by Daily Asset Newspapers, a recognition that highlights his role in the development and strategic positioning of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals and its growing influence on Nigeria’s energy market.
The award was presented at the 9th Annual Award and Lecture of Daily Asset Newspapers, held in Abuja, and attended by senior government officials, industry executives, media leaders and other stakeholders. Organisers said the honour reflects Mr Edwin’s contribution to Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas sector at a time when the country is seeking to reduce fuel imports and strengthen domestic refining capacity.
Speaking at the event, the publisher of Daily Asset Newspapers, Dr Cletus Akwaya, described Mr Edwin as instrumental to the establishment and operational progress of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals, widely regarded as the world’s largest single train refinery. He said the project has become a central pillar of Nigeria’s efforts to improve energy security and support economic diversification.
According to Dr Akwaya, the refinery has played a transformative role in expanding local refining capacity, improving the availability of petroleum products and reducing Nigeria’s long-standing dependence on imports. He added that Mr Edwin’s leadership has gone beyond operational oversight to include sustained engagement with regulators, policymakers, investors and the wider public.
“His recognition as Person of the Year reflects the growing impact of the Dangote Refinery as a catalyst for industrial growth, job creation and sustainable national development,” Dr Akwaya said.
The Daily Asset Annual Award and Lecture is positioned as a platform for recognising individuals and institutions that have made significant contributions to national development, leadership excellence and sectoral reform. This year’s awards focused strongly on energy, public finance and governance, sectors seen as critical to Nigeria’s medium-term economic outlook.
Reading the citation, the organisers said the Person of the Year and Corporate Achiever of the Year award was conferred on Mr Edwin for what they described as his foundational role in the process of establishing the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals. The citation described the project as a game changer for Nigeria’s petroleum sector, noting its scale, integration and potential to alter regional fuel supply dynamics.
The refinery, which has begun supplying products to the domestic market, is expected to help Nigeria achieve greater self-sufficiency in refined petroleum products, reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves and support broader industrial activity. Analysts have said that consistent output from the facility could materially change Nigeria’s balance of trade in refined fuels, provided distribution and pricing challenges are addressed.
Mr Edwin was represented at the ceremony by the Dangote Group’s senior general manager for external relations and stakeholder management, Alhaji Abatcha Bishara. In a statement issued on behalf of the company, Dangote Industries said the recognition underscores its commitment to Nigeria’s energy transition and long-term economic development.
“At Dangote Refinery, we remain committed to supporting Nigeria’s energy security, strengthening domestic refining capacity and contributing meaningfully to national economic growth,” the statement said. It added that the award would encourage the company to continue engaging transparently with stakeholders and the public.
The company also acknowledged the role of the media in shaping public understanding of large-scale industrial projects, noting that credible and responsible journalism remains essential to national development.
Mr Edwin joins a group of award recipients drawn from public service, politics and industry, including the executive chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Dr Zacch Adedeji; the national chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Chief Mamman Mike Osuman; Governors Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Monday Okpebholo of Edo State and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State; Senator Kawu Sumaila; and the minister of livestock development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha. The Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas was named Best Government Agency of the Year.
Earlier this week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, speaking at the Nigeria International Energy Summit in Abuja, said the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals has significantly improved the supply of petroleum products in the country. His remarks reinforced the refinery’s role as a strategic asset in Nigeria’s evolving energy architecture and underscored the policy importance of large-scale private investment in the sector.