Dangote Refinery: If I Knew What I Was Going To Go Through, I Wouldn’t Have Tried It –Dangote

  Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has defended his conglomerate against claims that it is seeking to monopolize critical sectors of the Nigerian economy..

Dangote argued that his investments are aimed at strengthening Africa’s industrial foundation rather than turning the continent into a dumping ground for foreign products. He stressed that his businesses have never prevented competition, despite long-standing criticisms about the scale of his operations.

The billionaire industrialist has been at the center of debates over economic dominance, particularly since the commencement of his $20 billion refinery, the largest in Africa. While critics contend that the project could suppress competition in the oil and gas industry, Dangote maintains that his ventures were built without government incentives and were not designed to exclude other players from the market.

A recent Bloomberg report suggested that several Dangote enterprises have flourished in sectors where government import restrictions are in place, such as sugar and cement—raising questions about whether policy frameworks have indirectly favored his companies. Dangote, however, dismissed suggestions that his success relies on state protection, insisting instead that his achievements stem from resilience and long-term commitment.

Reflecting on the challenges of building the refinery, Dangote admitted that the project was far more demanding than he had anticipated. He revealed that the obstacles were so overwhelming that, had he foreseen them, he might not have embarked on it at all. Describing the process as exhausting and stressful, he underlined the enormous sacrifices both financial and personal that went into bringing the refinery to completion.

The Bloomberg feature also underscored the difficulties of executing large-scale projects in Nigeria, where weak public services force citizens to provide alternatives for themselves. Even wealthy households often depend on petrol or diesel generators due to erratic electricity supply, while water shortages push many to rely on boreholes. These infrastructural shortcomings, it noted, only compound the risks of industrial ventures in the country.

Now 68, Dangote acknowledged that the refinery project tested his endurance like no other. “If I knew what I was going to go through, I wouldn’t have tried it,” he admitted, reflecting on the immense burden of establishing one of Africa’s most ambitious industrial facilities