Nigeria’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, accused Nigerian petroleum regulators of enabling cheap fuel imports that threaten local refineries and called for a probe.
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest oil producer, but relies heavily on imports, and Dangote’s refinery was meant to change that.
Dangote said if imports continue unchecked, they will threaten jobs, investment, and energy security.
Speaking at his 650,000-barrel-per-day oil refinery in Lagos, Dangote said imports were being used “to checkmate domestic potential”, creating jobs abroad while Nigeria struggles to industrialise.
Call for inquiry
“You don’t use imports to checkmate domestic potential,” he told reporters.
Dangote called for an official inquiry into the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
NMDPRA, however, accuses Dangote refinery of wanting monopoly on petroleum products sales, but the refinery’s output cannot meet local demand.