Nigerian billionaire and Dangote Group President, Aliko Dangote, has asserted that US President Donald Trump is “more than happy” with the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lekki, Lagos State.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Dangote dismissed claims of US opposition, noting that the United States is not a rival but a key crude oil supplier to the refinery, making it a major beneficiary of the business.
He explained that the refinery still relies on crude imports from Ghana, other African countries, and the US due to Nigeria’s insufficient domestic supply.
“We are not getting enough crude locally, so that’s why we buy from Ghana, a few other African countries, and the US,” Dangote said.
Highlighting the scale of trade, he added, “The US has been one of our major suppliers of crude. So when someone says Trump is not happy with our refinery, it’s not true. He is more than happy because of the volume of business involved.”
Dangote further revealed that Nigeria imports at least 100 million barrels of crude oil annually from the United States, a figure that could rise to around 200 million barrels if supply is doubled.
He also noted that Nigeria exports aviation fuel and gasoline to the U.S., underscoring the mutually beneficial trade relationship between the two countries.
