During an interview with Forbes, Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian billionaire businessman, revealed that his $23 billion refinery project is the most significant risk of his life.
“It was the biggest risk of my life. If this didn’t work, I was dead,” Dangote said.
Despite the groundbreaking capacity of 650,000 barrels per day and the status as Africa’s largest refinery, Dangote admitted to facing challenges and uncertainties in setting up the venture.
He emphasized the need for Nigeria and Africa to reduce dependence on foreign investment.
He said: “We have to build our own nation by ourselves.
“We have to build our own continent by ourselves, not [rely on] foreign investment.”
According to him, Africa has been “a mere dumping ground for finished products,” and his refinery is “a pivotal step in ensuring that Africa has the capacity to refine its own crude oil, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for its vast population.”
