Dangote Alleges ‘Oil Mafia’ Stronger Than Drug Cartels, Claims $82m in Refinery Thefts

Aliko Dangote Accuses Powerful ‘Oil Mafia’ of Sabotaging Nigeria’s Energy Sector

Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, has intensified his criticism of alleged criminal networks he claims are undermining Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, asserting that an “oil mafia” wields more influence than notorious drug cartels. Speaking at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, on Sunday, Dangote detailed extensive theft and damage to infrastructure linked to these groups.

Dangote revealed that an estimated $82 million worth of equipment and materials have been stolen from his refinery, warning that the losses are so significant that security personnel now outnumber regular refinery workers. He described acts of sabotage, including the removal of critical parts from a large operational boiler, which he said reflected concerted efforts to disrupt operations.

The billionaire industrialist also pointed to widespread destruction of national petroleum assets, such as pipelines and storage depots, arguing that these cannot be explained by natural causes but are instead the result of deliberate sabotage.

Dangote extended his criticism beyond criminal syndicates to include regulatory failures and alleged corruption within the downstream petroleum sector, urging a full investigation into claims involving senior officials’ financial conduct.

This recent statement continues a pattern of public warnings from Dangote about resistance from entrenched interests opposing local refining in favour of oil importation — a struggle he has previously described as involving both local and international actors who prefer to benefit financially from continued dependence on imports.