A report by the Punch says top officials at Dangote Industries have launched a fresh round of accusations against international oil companies, saying they are deliberately sabotaging Nigeria’s largest privately-owned refinery.
“They are deliberately and willfully frustrating our efforts to buy local crude,” said Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries. “They are hiking prices above market rates just to push us into importing crude from the US.”
Edwin believes these tactics are part of a broader scheme to ensure Nigeria remains dependent on imported fuel—a system that enriches oil giants while stifling domestic growth. “They want to keep exporting raw crude to their countries, refining it there, and dumping the expensive fuel back into Nigeria,” he added.
The refinery, which began producing petrol in September, was designed to reverse Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel. But the journey has been anything but smooth. From alleged sabotage to regulatory setbacks, the Dangote Refinery has had to fight its way forward.
Despite the odds, Edwin says the refinery is pressing on, pledging to meet local demand and stabilize the market—even if it means navigating hostile terrain. “It’s a tough game,” he said, “but we’re not backing down.”
SOURCE: splendNews