By Wellington Jopelo
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has dismissed claims that the United States is unhappy with the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, saying former U.S. President Donald Trump is “more than happy” with the project.
Dangote explained that the refinery is not in competition with the United States, as America remains one of its major crude oil suppliers. He said the scale of crude purchases from the U.S. makes the country a key beneficiary of the refinery’s operations.
Speaking during a press briefing at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, Dangote said Nigeria still depends heavily on imported crude oil because local production is not enough to meet demand.
According to him, crude oil is sourced from Ghana, other African countries, and the United States to keep the refinery running. “We are not getting enough crude, so that’s why we buy from Ghana and a few other African countries. We also buy from the U.S.,” he said.
Dangote described the United States as one of Nigeria’s biggest crude oil suppliers and rejected reports suggesting that Trump was unhappy with the refinery or its funding structure.
He explained that the U.S. benefits significantly from the trade relationship. “The U.S. has been one of our major suppliers of crude, which is why when someone says Trump is not happy with our refinery, it’s not true,” he said.
“Trump is more than happy with our refinery because of the scale of business involved,” Dangote added.
The businessman revealed that Nigeria buys no fewer than 100 million barrels of crude oil from the U.S. every year, noting that the volume could rise to about 200 million barrels annually if supply increases.
He also disclosed that Nigeria exports aviation fuel and petrol to the United States, stressing that the trade relationship between both countries is mutually beneficial.