President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Monday, taunted the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers for warning Nigerians against accepting Dangote Refinery’s recent fuel price reduction.
The Refinery had announced lower petrol pump prices in several states alongside a new scheme to deploy Compressed Natural Gas trucks directly to filling stations, which is expected to reduce logistics costs.
NUPENG however dismissed the offer as a “Greek gift,” alleging that the refinery was undermining workers’ rights, sidelining the union, and pushing drivers into a rival association.
But Netizens heavily descended on the union, saying that during hard times, NUPENG never backed the masses.
Dangote, who addressing newsmen at the refinery on Monday on the first anniversary of gasoline production, lambasted the union over its criticism.
“They said we gave Nigerians a Greek gift, why don’t you give the French one. Even if it’s a Greek gift, it means that it is a gift will still be there all the time,” he said.
The richest business man in Africa also addressed controversy surrounding the new CNG trucks initiative rolled out by the refinery, assuring that more jobs would be created through the direct fuel distribution scheme.
“At least 24,000 jobs will be created through the initiative,” Dangote said.
According to him, since the refinery began producing petrol a year ago, Nigeria’s five-decade-long struggle with fuel queues had come to an end.
“We have been battling fuel queues since 1975, but today Nigerians are witnessing a new era,” he said.
Acknowledging the numerous challenges the refinery has faced since its inception, Dangote emphasised the company’s unwavering commitment to Nigeria and Africa.
“The journey has been challenging because we sought to transform the downstream sector in Nigeria. Some believed we were taking food from their tables, which simply isn’t true. What we have done is to make our country and continent proud. Previously, only two African countries were not importing petrol, but regrettably, they have since resumed imports. This is detrimental to Africa,” he added.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during the refinery’s development, Dangote disclosed that the project involved enormous risk.
He received repeated warnings from industry experts, investors, local and foreign government officials, who argued that only sovereign nations undertook such large-scale refinery ventures.
He admitted that had the project failed, he would have lost all his assets to lenders.
“The decision to build the refinery was not easy. If it had gone wrong, lenders would have taken our assets. But we believed in Nigeria and Africa,” he said.
Despite opposition and economic headwinds, the refinery has successfully reduced the price of petrol from nearly N1,100 before production began to N841 in the Southwest, Abuja, Delta, Rivers, Edo, and Kwara.
With the gradual rollout of CNG-powered trucks, Dangote anticipates this price reduction will soon be felt nationwide.
He noted that the refinery has sufficient capacity to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand while also generating foreign exchange through exports.
He revealed that between June and first week of September 2025, the facility had exported over 1.1 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), underscoring its capacity to meet domestic demand and contribute significantly to foreign exchange earnings.
Emphasising job creation, he stated that the refinery has no intention of displacing workers but is instead generating thousands of new employment opportunities.
“We have not displaced any jobs; we are creating many more. The CNG trucks will not be operated by robots,” he said. “Our employees earn salaries three times the minimum wage. Our drivers receive a living wage, life insurance, health insurance covering themselves, their spouses, and up to four children, as well as a lifelong pension. We are not only employing drivers but also mechanics, fleet managers, and other professionals to support the CNG fleet.”
Dangote clarified that while the company respects trade unions, membership is a personal choice for each driver.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s industrialisation, describing it as essential for the continent’s development. Dangote emphasised the urgent need for Nigeria to protect its local industries and discourage the dumping of cheap foreign goods, citing the collapse of the once-thriving textile sector as a cautionary example.
He noted that Nigeria’s path to sustainable economic growth lies in industrialisation, which not only boosts local productivity but also supports a circular economy.
“Other nations were not industrialised by outsiders. We must build and industrialise our own economies. Without this, how can others invest? That is why I believe the National Assembly should enact legislation to support the Federal Government’s ‘Nigeria First’ policy. My goal is to see Africa prosper, as we have the fastest-growing population in the world. Relying on imports means exporting jobs and importing poverty. Many individuals with greater financial resources than myself want to invest, but the challenges we face discourage them. Numerous sectors are still in urgent need of industrialisation,” he said.
