Dangote Meets Tinubu at Aso Rock Amid Oil Sector Shake-Up

Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, visited President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa on Tuesday evening, marking their first private meeting at the presidency since Tinubu toured the Dangote Refinery in Lagos on June 5.

Dangote arrived shortly before 7:00 p.m. and left about 30 minutes later without speaking to the press. While the purpose of the visit was not disclosed, the timing is notable—coming after weeks of sharp remarks by Africa’s richest man about Nigeria’s struggling oil sector.

On July 11, Dangote openly criticised Nigeria’s aging state-owned refineries, telling visiting executives that the plants in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna were likely beyond repair.

“They may never operate properly again,” he said, blaming years of mismanagement and nearly $18 billion spent on failed rehabilitation projects. He urged the government to embrace sweeping policy reforms.

The visit also comes as Dangote prepares to disrupt Nigeria’s fuel distribution system. Starting August 15, his Lekki-based refinery—Africa’s largest single-train plant—will begin selling petrol and diesel directly to retailers and bulk consumers, cutting out long-dominant fuel trading middlemen.

The move has rattled the industry. Groups like the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria have protested the plan, warning of potential job losses across the supply chain.

Dangote, 67, made his fortune in cement, sugar, and flour before investing an estimated $20 billion in the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery. His latest actions signal a bold effort to reshape Nigeria’s downstream sector—one that could redefine the country’s fuel economy for years to come.