Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has disclosed that his $19 billion refinery project faced numerous sabotage attempts from the “oil mafia”.
Speaking at the Afreximbank annual meetings in Nassau, The Bahamas, Dangote revealed that he had repaid $2.4 billion of the $5.5 billion borrowed for the project.
Dangote stated that he was aware of potential resistance but underestimated the intensity of the opposition.
He likened the “oil mafia” to being stronger than the “drug mafia”, citing repeated attempts to disrupt the refinery’s construction.
Despite these challenges, Dangote remains determined, attributing his resilience to his lifelong fighting spirit.
He acknowledged that the transition from relying on imported fuel to local refining has been met with resistance from international oil companies (IOCs).
Dangote expressed confidence that the refinery, which has a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, will ultimately succeed, benefiting Nigeria, the sub-region, and sub-Saharan Africa.
He views the current obstacles as temporary, stating, “We’ll get there.”
