By Uche Usim
President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has once again raised the alarm over the relentless opposition faced by his $20 billion oil refinery project in Lekki, Lagos and has blamed a powerful cartel entrenched in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
Speaking at an investor forum in Lagos, Dangote said the cabal, comprising individuals who have profited immensely from Nigeria’s long-standing fuel subsidy regime, continues to wage a calculated campaign to frustrate the operations of the 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery.
“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,” he revealed, according to Semafor, a global news outlet.
Dangote did not mince words in identifying the threat, stating that these vested interests are also behind ongoing efforts to undermine the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly the removal of petrol subsidies. “Those groups have funded resistance to the Bola Tinubu government’s removal of petrol subsidies and are opposed to the refinery operating easily in the country,” he added.
Despite the formidable resistance, Dangote maintained his trademark resolve and optimism. “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 with confidence.
This is not the first time Dangote has spoken out about attempts to derail the project. In June 2023, he raised concerns about both local and international forces, described then as “mafia-like”, who allegedly tried multiple times to stop the refinery from reaching completion.
Widely considered a game-changer for Nigeria’s energy sector, the refinery is expected to end the country’s decades-long reliance on imported petroleum products, save billions in foreign exchange, and create thousands of jobs. But its transformative potential is precisely why it has become a target for those who thrive in a dysfunctional system.
Yet for Dangote, the battle is far from over, but so is his determination. And as he continues to push forward, many see his fight not just as a personal mission, but as a symbol of Nigeria’s struggle to free itself from decades of oil dependency and elite capture.
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