…Decries Dumping of Adulterated Fuel into African Markets
President/Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has called on African leaders to implement deliberate and strategic protections for local industries—similar to measures adopted by the United States, Canada, and the European Union—to foster genuine economic growth and self-reliance across the continent.
Speaking at the ongoing West African Refined Fuel Conference in Abuja, Dangote raised concerns about the unchecked influx of substandard fuel into African markets, describing it as a serious threat to the continent’s health, economy, and industrial competitiveness.
“To make matters worse, we are now facing increasing dumping of cheap, often toxic petroleum products—some of which are blended to substandard levels that would never be allowed in Europe or North America,” he stated.
He particularly cited a growing trend of low-quality, discounted fuel originating from Russia, often blended under price caps and dumped across African countries, further distorting local markets and undermining domestic refiners.
Dangote warned that the continent is essentially exporting jobs and importing poverty by relying heavily on foreign refined petroleum products. Despite being a major crude oil producer, Africa imports over 120 million tonnes of refined petroleum products annually, costing approximately $90 billion.
“So, while we produce plenty of crude, we still import over 120 million tonnes of refined petroleum products each year, effectively exporting jobs and importing poverty into our continent. That’s a $90 billion market opportunity being captured by regions with surplus refining capacity,” he said.
“To put this in perspective: only about 15% of African countries have a GDP greater than $90 billion. We are effectively handing over an entire continent’s economic potential to others—year after year,” he added.
Dangote further lamented the fact that Africa produces about 7 million barrels of crude oil daily, yet refines only 40% of its 4.3 million barrels-per-day refined product consumption locally. In stark contrast, Europe and Asia refine over 95% of their domestic consumption.
He reiterated the urgent need for the continent to invest in and protect its refining capacity, emphasizing that local production must be safeguarded from unfair external practices if Africa is to achieve true economic independence and industrialization.