I’m ready to sell my refinery to NNPC, says Dangote

By Omolade Adegbuyi

In other to have peace and rest of mind, business magnate, Aliko Dangote has offered to sell Dangote Refinery.

Dangote had faced relentless attacks largely from local and international oil cartels bent on stopping the refinery from taking off.

The 650,000 bpd oil refinery is one of the largest in the world built with some $20billion.

Dangote on Sunday, in what appears an act of frustration, said he was ready to sell the refinery to NNPC, the Nigerian oil and gas company noted for its long standing corruption and ineptitude.

Dangote Refinery began in 2013 and was billed to be completed in 2018 but had been rocked by a string of armtwisting by influential government officials in collaboration with the international rookies.

The refinery also has no fewer than 40,000 workforce with some 11,000 expatriates.

The production of 650 000 mpd oil output is said to draw the anger of established interests that have for decades fed on importation of fuel to the Nigerian market.

It is in their interest to kill Dangote refinery so that they can continue to profit from Nigeria’s stunted oil and gas industry.

He told Premium Times in an exclusive interview on Sunday “Let them (NNPCL) buy me out and run the refinery the best way they can,” Mr Dangote said
He said he was ready to sell the refinery since he has been accused of market monopoly.

Earlier, Dangote has said he never anticipated the challenges he faces at the moment from Nigerian conspirators.

Africa’s wealthiest man Aliko Dangote said he is willing to give up ownership of his multibillion-dollar oil refinery to the state-owned energy company NNPC Limited.

He told Premium Times “Let them (NNPCL) buy me out and run the refinery the best way they can. They have labelled me a monopolist. That’s an incorrect and unfair allegation, but it’s OK. If they buy me out, at least, their so-called monopolist would be out of the way,” Mr Dangote told PREMIUM TIMES in an exclusive interview on Sunday.

Nigerians were appalled last week when a top Government official said the Dangote diesel was inferior, seen as a conscious attempt to remarket his products.

It is believed that forces behind the importation of PMS and a rogue cell that feasts on dirty oil deals are behind the attempt to scuttle Dangote refinery they way they had stopped the wellbeing of Nigeria’s four refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna.

Dangote said “We have been facing fuel crisis since the 70s. This refinery can help in resolving the problem but it does appear some people are uncomfortable that I am in the picture. So I am ready to let go, let the NNPC buy me out, run the refinery.”

He told Premium Times “As you probably know, I am 67 years old, in less than three years, I will be 70. I need very little to live the rest of my life. I can’t take the refinery or any other property or asset to my grave. Everything I do is in the interest of my country.”

“This refinery can help in resolving the problem but it does appear some people are uncomfortable that I am in the picture. So I am ready to let go, let the NNPC buy me out, run the refinery. At least the country will have high-quality products and create jobs,” he added.

Speaking further he said “Four years ago, one of my very wealthy friends began to invest his money abroad. I disagreed with him and urged him to rethink his action in the interest of his country. He blamed his action on policy inconsistencies and shenanigans of interest groups. That friend has been taunting me in the past few days, saying he warned me and that he has been proven right.”