Business
‘Cabals’ still working against our refinery – Dangote
The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said he is still fighting ‘ cabals’ for the survival of his $20bn refinery, saying that the struggle is not yet over.
Dangote voiced optimism that he would eventually become victorious in the fight for the refinery, stating his determination to fight on.
According to Semafor, an international news medium, Africa’s richest man made this known at an investor forum in Lagos on Friday.
The report has it that Dangote pointed out that some individuals who “for a very, very long time” have “made a lot of money from” government-subsidised oil imports into Nigeria, were the ones trying to sabotage the 650,000 barrels per day oil refinery situated in Lekki, Lagos.
Dangote, according to Semafor noted that “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.”
However, Dangote was confident that the battle between him and the groups would be won, priding himself as a long-time fighter.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished. But I have been fighting all my life, and I am ready and 100 per cent sure I will win at the end of the day,” he was quoted.
Dangote’s latest remarks came on the heels of government’s plans to increase its capacity to stockpile petroleum products, to prepare against shocks to the global oil market following US President Donald Trump’s shake-up of international trade with the threat of tariffs.
It could be recalled that that billionaire business man has since last year sounded the alarm that some mafias were sabotaging his refinery.
He pointed fingers at some international oil companies who he said were sabotaging his investment by denying the facility adequate crude supply despite the domestic crude supply obligation.
Dangote had alleged that the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority was issuing licences to marketers to import substandard petroleum products into the country.
He determined to push his $20bn refinery to full operational capacity in spite of what he said were challenges from oil importers seeking to undermine his venture to retain their dominance in the country’s energy sector.
