Refinery: I’ve Been Fighting Oil Mafia Deadlier Than Those In The Drug World – Dangote Opens Up

Nigerian billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, has opened up on the challenges of building and running his refinery.

Dangote disclosed that one of the challenges in the industry is having to deal with oil mafias.

Speaking during an interview with Forbes on Monday, the businessman described the mafia in the oil industry as more dangerous than those involved in hard drugs.

According to him, many people are involved in the oil mafia and one could be dining and wining with them without knowing the depth of their involvement.

“I’ve been fighting battles all my life and I have not lost one yet.

“The oil mafia is more deadly than the one in drugs because, with the oil mafia, there are so many people that are involved. You might be wining and dining with them, but these are the guys that are the masters of moving things around,” he said.

Naija News reports this is not the first time Dangote has talked about the involvement of the mafia in the oil business.

Back in September 2024, the serial businessman disclosed that the cartel in the oil industry is powerful and large.

According to him, “I never knew that the oil industry mafia is stronger than the drug cartel; it’s a big cartel. I will say this anywhere.”

He added that the mafia in the oil industry have the ability to control the prices of fuel in the country just for their own advantage or to prevent any unwanted competition.

The businessman, however, said Dangote Refinery would be able to outsmart them because it can take local currency (naira), but they can not.