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Aliko Dangote, Africa's wealthiest individual, accuses local and international mafias of hindering his $19 billion refinery project. Despite repaying $2.4 billion of loans, challenges like crude oil supply disruptions persist.

In a speech at the Afreximbank annual meetings, Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest person, accused local and foreign mafias within the oil sector of attempting to sabotage his $19 billion refinery project. Dangote revealed that despite repaying $2.4 billion of the $5.5 billion borrowed for the project, numerous entities persistently obstructed the facility's progress.

He emphasized encountering unexpected hostility, likening the strength of these mafias to those in the drug trade. Dangote remained resolute, expressing his lifelong resilience against adversities, despite challenges such as crude oil supply disruptions and market resistance. He underscored the critical importance of the refinery for Nigeria and the broader sub-Saharan African region, despite ongoing obstacles.

Dangote's remarks shed light on the intense pressures faced by large-scale industrial projects in Africa's oil sector, highlighting broader implications for energy security and economic development.