President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has raised fresh concerns over sustained efforts by a powerful ‘cabal’ within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry to sabotage his $20 billion refinery project located in Lekki, Lagos.
Speaking at an investor forum in Lagos on Friday, May 2, Africa’s richest man expressed deep frustration over the resistance facing the refinery, alleging that entrenched interests benefiting from the now-defunct fuel subsidy regime are working tirelessly to undermine its operations.
“For a very, very long time, those that have made a lot of money from government-subsidised oil imports into Nigeria were the ones trying to sabotage the $20 billion worth of refinery situated in Lekki, Lagos,” Dangote was quoted as saying by international news outlet Semafor.
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According to him, these groups have not only opposed the smooth operation of the refinery but are also behind resistance to President Bola Tinubu’s bold decision to remove petrol subsidies — a move that significantly disrupted the lucrative fuel import business.
Dangote, however, maintained a confident posture, insisting that despite the ongoing challenges, he remains determined to see the refinery succeed.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 percent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he declared.
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The Dangote Refinery, which began petrol sales in September 2024, marked a significant shift in Nigeria’s fuel supply chain and contributed to a notable drop in fuel imports. Its emergence is widely seen as a potential game changer for the country’s energy independence and economic stability.
Despite its promise, the refinery has faced logistical, regulatory, and now, according to Dangote, political hurdles — with vested interests allegedly working to frustrate its progress.