Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has dismissed claims that the United States is opposed to the operations of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, revealing that US President Donald Trump is “more than happy” with the facility.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday at the Lekki refinery, Dangote said the US is not a rival but a major beneficiary, supplying a significant volume of crude oil to the refinery. He explained that the scale of the operations makes the trade mutually beneficial.
Dangote added that the refinery continues to rely on imported crude oil due to Nigeria’s insufficient domestic production. The country sources crude from Ghana, other African nations, and the United States.
He emphasized that reports suggesting US displeasure were false:
“The US has been one of our major suppliers of crude, which is why when someone says Trump is not happy with our refinery, it’s not true. Trump is more than happy with our refinery because of the scale of business involved,” Dangote said.
Nigeria reportedly purchases over 100 million barrels of crude annually from the US, with the potential to double to 200 million barrels if supply increases. Dangote also noted that Nigeria exports aviation fuel and gasoline to the United States, highlighting the reciprocal nature of the energy trade relationship.
