Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, says powerful groups in the oil industry are working behind the scenes to cripple his multibillion-dollar refinery.

Speaking in Lagos on Monday during the rollout of new compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks for direct fuel distribution, Dangote likened the pushback to the fate of Nigeria’s textile industry, which he said was wrecked by vested interests decades ago.

According to him, the refinery’s first year of petrol output has been anything but smooth, as entrenched players in the downstream market are resisting change.

“It’s been a tough year,” he said. “We came in to change how things are done, but those who profit from the old system see us as a threat.”

Dangote alleged that both international oil traders and local marketers are teaming up to weaken the refinery, preferring to benefit from imports rather than support local production. He insisted that price adjustments on exports were made only to keep the refinery afloat, pointing to challenges such as paying premiums on crude and competing against subsidised Russian supplies.

He also explained that the crude obtained under Nigeria’s naira-for-crude policy must be refined and sold locally, even at a loss, which has kept domestic fuel cheaper.

The business mogul dismissed claims that the refinery lacks capacity, noting that between June and August alone, it exported 1.6 billion litres of petrol. “They want to dump products here the way they killed textiles, but we won’t let them destroy this $20 billion project,” he vowed.

Dangote also highlighted the problem of fuel smuggling, revealing that most petrol consumed in neighbouring Benin Republic originates from Nigeria.

Despite union disputes and accusations of market distortion, he said the refinery has already transformed Nigeria’s fuel supply and ended decades of scarcity. He pledged that the plant would remain a cornerstone of the country’s energy security.

As part of efforts to strengthen logistics, Dangote unveiled a fleet of CNG-powered trucks to move fuel directly to filling stations. The company says over 1,000 trucks are already operational, with hundreds more arriving weekly from China. The initiative is expected to create around 24,000 jobs, with drivers earning well above the minimum wage.

Dangote’s message was clear: despite pressure from unions, marketers, and what he described as “oil mafias,” his refinery will not be derailed.