By Dansu Peter
Dangote made this disclosure amid allegations of substandard diesel production by his refinery, as reported by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), according to Premium Times.
Africa's wealthiest man also revealed that a billionaire friend, who had previously advised him against investing in Nigeria, is now taunting him for not heeding the warning. Dangote cited policy inconsistency and the influence of interest groups as reasons for his friend's reluctance to invest in Nigeria, warning him when he first considered constructing the refinery in the country.
"Four years ago, one of my very wealthy friends began investing abroad. I disagreed with him and urged him to reconsider for the sake of our country," Dangote said. "He blamed his decision on policy inconsistencies and the machinations of interest groups.
"That friend has been taunting me recently, saying he warned me and has been proven right," Dangote reportedly told Premium Times.
Dangote said he invested in the refinery to address a major national issue and expressed frustration at the opposition he faces.
The NMDPRA has alleged that its experts discovered high sulphur content in diesel produced by the Dangote Refinery.
The 650,000 barrel-per-day refinery, which began operations last year after a decade of construction, cost $19 billion—more than double the initial estimate. It was expected to reduce Africa’s biggest oil producer's dependence on imported fuel and save up to 30 percent of the foreign exchange spent on imports.
On Sunday, the Federal Government, through the NMDPRA, announced it was awaiting new reports to confirm the actual sulphur content of the diesel produced by the Dangote refinery, following the company's denial of producing inferior fuel.
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