Billionaire industrialist and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has accused certain powerful oil marketers and international traders—not the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL)—of working against the success of his $20 billion Lekki refinery project.Dangote: Cabals Still Sabotaging Our Refinery Efforts
In an exclusive statement made available on Tuesday, Dangote emphasized that the recent narrative linking his refinery struggles to the leadership of NNPCL was false and misleading. He clarified that the newly constituted board of the NNPCL under the Tinubu administration has so far been cooperative and supportive of his refinery’s operational goals.
Dangote lauded President Bola Tinubu for assembling what he described as a “capable and visionary team” to lead the national oil company. He specifically mentioned the appointments of Mr. Bayo Ojulari as Group Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Ahmadu Kida as Non-Executive Chairman, highlighting their vast industry experience and technical expertise.
“These appointments signal a renewed direction for the NNPCL, and I commend the President for selecting professionals who understand the complexities of the global oil market and the unique needs of Nigeria’s energy industry,” Dangote said.
He expressed confidence in the capacity of the new NNPCL management to align with Tinubu’s broader economic agenda, including the ambition to grow Nigeria’s economy to $1 trillion. According to him, “The NNPCL’s new leadership reflects reform, innovation, and a commitment to long-term sustainability. They are not the ones frustrating our efforts.”
Dangote’s refinery, designed to produce 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, is the largest single-train refinery in the world. Located in Lekki, Lagos, the plant is expected to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependency on imported petroleum products and create thousands of jobs.
However, Dangote said his major challenge comes from entrenched interests in the oil importation value chain. “Some cabals, mainly comprising major marketers and traders, have profited immensely from Nigeria’s history of fuel imports and subsidies. These are the forces working tirelessly to undermine our efforts to make Nigeria energy self-sufficient,” he revealed.
He added that these vested interests are not just fighting him but indirectly resisting President Tinubu’s economic reforms aimed at curbing waste, enhancing local production, and stabilizing the naira.
Despite these challenges, Dangote remains defiant. “We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am 100 per cent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he stated confidently.
He reiterated that the Dangote Group is fully aligned with the government’s vision of an energy-secure and economically vibrant Nigeria. He also assured that the refinery would overcome all forms of sabotage and eventually operate at full capacity to serve both domestic and export markets.
Industry observers believe that Dangote’s refinery has the potential to reverse decades of dependence on imported fuel and reposition Nigeria as a major refining hub in Africa. Yet, the lingering threat of internal sabotage by entrenched economic actors remains a critical hurdle.
In conclusion, Dangote called for greater public awareness and policy support to dismantle the hold of these oil import cabals. “This is not just about Dangote or one refinery. It is about breaking the chains that have held Nigeria’s energy future hostage for too long,” he said.