Dangote refinery biggest risk of my life. If it didn’t work, I was dead – Dangote

Billionaire Aliko Dangote has called his $23 billion Dangote Refinery the “biggest risk” of his life, emphasizing the challenges he faced in bringing the project to reality.

In an exclusive interview with Forbes on February 17, Dangote admitted that failure was not an option. “If this didn’t work, I was dead,” he said. Despite its massive 650,000 barrels-per-day capacity, making it Africa’s largest refinery, the journey was marked by financial, regulatory, and supply chain difficulties.

Dangote stressed the need for Africa’s self-reliance in industrialization, rejecting dependence on foreign investments. He described the refinery as a crucial step toward refining Africa’s crude oil locally, creating wealth and economic growth.

While he has a family office in Dubai and his daughters hold roles in the business, Dangote remains focused on Nigeria. He continues to oversee refinery operations and is working on projects like a subsea gas pipeline and an expanded fertilizer plant.

Looking ahead, he plans to take the refinery public within the next two years, stating, “I’ve been fighting battles all my life, and I have not lost one yet.”