Activist lawyer Deji Adeyanju has accused business mogul Aliko Dangote of using Nigeria’s resources to maintain his status as Africa’s richest man. Speaking on The Honest Bunch podcast, Adeyanju criticized Dangote for allegedly stifling competition and manipulating government connections to his advantage.
“Aliko Dangote is a shameless guy, he uses Nigeria’s money to become Africa’s richest man yearly. He has killed a lot of businesses, so I don’t know why he’s now crying,” Adeyanju stated. He accused Dangote of aligning with successive governments to protect his business interests and stifle competition.
Adeyanju suggested that Dangote’s influence is being challenged under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, as Tinubu’s allies also have monopolistic tendencies. “They are after him because Tinubu’s guys are monopolistic themselves, like Dangote. They feel there is nothing Dangote can do that they can’t,” he added.
These comments come in the wake of recent allegations by Dangote that some officials are attempting to hinder the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.
The Dangote Group claimed that international oil companies are frustrating their efforts by either refusing to sell crude or selling it at inflated prices.
In response, the Federal Executive Council directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery and other local refineries in naira instead of U.S. dollars.
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The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has been accused of granting licenses to import substandard fuel, which it denies, arguing that imported diesel is of higher quality than that produced by Dangote.
The Dangote Refinery, which began operations in December with a capacity of 350,000 barrels per day, aims to reach its full capacity of 650,000 barrels per day by the end of the year.
The refinery has started supplying diesel and aviation fuel to marketers, with petrol supply expected to commence in August, despite regulatory challenges.
