LAGOS, NIGERIA Aliko Dangote is raising the red flag again and this time, it’s not just about the sabotage of his refinery. It’s about a deeper rot in Nigeria’s oil sector, one that calls into question the very relevance and integrity of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
Once the undisputed gatekeeper of Nigeria’s oil wealth, the NNPC now finds itself trailing behind a private refinery. In a country where a single government-owned company controls billions in public revenue, it is Dangote’s privately owned 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery that is currently determining fuel prices. And that fact alone raises a troubling question: Why is NNPC, backed by trillions in public funds, being outpaced by one man’s vision?
At an investor forum on Friday, May 2, Dangote didn’t hold back. He accused powerful individuals many of whom profited from decades of government-subsidised fuel import schemes of orchestrating resistance against his refinery.
“For 35 years, people were used to counting easy money,” Dangote said. “Now that those days are over, you can’t expect them to support you. Naturally, they’ll push back.”
And push back they have using both silence and sabotage. Reports from Semafor reveal that these entrenched oil cabals are not only resisting President Bola Tinubu’s subsidy reforms, they are also actively working to cripple the operations of Dangote’s refinery.
How Did We Get Here?
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, somehow lacks the ability to refine its own fuel. For decades, the country relied on expensive fuel imports a broken system sustained by corruption, weak institutions, and powerful cartels. Despite spending billions of dollars on “rehabilitating” state refineries, NNPC has failed to meet domestic demand, pushing Nigeria to depend on foreign refineries and shady import deals.
The result? Decades of fuel scarcity, black market pricing, and unspeakable losses for the average Nigerian while top officials and oil mafias fattened their pockets.
The NNPC’s Silent War
Today, six retail stations linked to Dangote including Technoil, MRS Nigeria, Ardova PLC, Optima Energy, Hyde, and Heyden are selling petrol below NNPC’s official rate of ₦880 per litre. That’s right a private businessman is providing fuel at cheaper rates than a national company backed by the federal government.
If this doesn’t raise questions about incompetence, mismanagement, and corruption at the highest levels, what will?
Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has already warned that the price war, if unchecked, could ruin small players. But the real issue lies deeper: Why does NNPC, with access to Nigeria’s crude and billions in taxpayer money, still struggle to offer fuel at competitive prices?
The answer lies in a legacy of corruption, bloated contracts, and institutional failure.
Dangote’s Regret and Resolve
Last year, Dangote shocked the nation when he admitted regretting the decision to build the refinery. He claimed the oil sector mafias were stronger than drug cartels. But instead of backing down, he doubled down vowing to see the fight through.
“We’re fighting, and the fight is not yet finished,” he said. “But I’ve been fighting all my life, and I am 100% sure I will win at the end of the day.”
A Nation at a Crossroads
The real tragedy here is not just about competition. It’s about national pride. It’s about a country with everything oil, brains, and billions failing to meet the most basic of needs. If a single private refinery can bring down prices and restore sanity to the market, what excuse does NNPC have?
As Dangote continues to drag Nigeria’s oil industry into the future, the question remains: Will the government finally reform the NNPC or will it continue to shield incompetence and corruption in high places?
Until then, Nigeria’s fuel future may rest not in public institutions, but in the hands of the very private citizens the state once ignored.
Reference
Shame of a Nation: Dangote Fights to Save Refinery as NNPC Loses Grip on Fuel Pricing