Business
Dangote Halts Steel Investments to Avoid Monopoly Accusations
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, has announced that his company will be halting its investments in Nigeria’s steel industry. This decision comes in response to concerns about potential monopoly practices.
Dangote revealed this shift during a recent press conference, amidst ongoing disputes with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The NMDPRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed, had previously raised concerns about Nigeria’s reliance on the Dangote Refinery for petroleum products, suggesting that it posed a monopoly risk. Ahmed also criticized the quality of petroleum products from both the Dangote Refinery and other local refineries.
In light of these issues, Dangote explained that the board of his company has chosen to withdraw from the steel sector to avoid further accusations of monopolistic behavior, similar to those currently directed at their operations in the petroleum industry. He noted that by stepping back from the steel business, the company hopes to prevent the same criticisms and encourage competition.
“Own board has decided that we shouldn’t do the steel because if we do the steel business, we will be called all sorts of names like monopoly. And then also, imports will be encouraged. So we don’t want to go into that.
“Let other Nigerians go and do it. We are not the only Nigerians here. There are some Nigerians with more cash than us. They should bring that money from Dubai and other parts of the world and invest in our fatherland,” he said
Dangote further emphasized that there are other wealthy Nigerians who could invest in the steel industry. He suggested that those with substantial resources, potentially even from abroad, should step in and invest in Nigeria’s steel sector.
Bitcoin has fallen below $63,000, reaching its lowest level since October 2024 amid weakening investor confidence and increased volatility in the cryptocurrency market.
According to CoinMarketCap data, Bitcoin dropped 13.9 per cent to $62,965 as of 10:20 p.m. on Thursday. The decline comes after months of downward movement, with the cryptocurrency now more than 45 per cent below its October peak.
Ethereum also recorded a sharp decline, falling 13 per cent to $1,863, while the global cryptocurrency market capitalisation dropped to $2.19 trillion.
Analysts reportedly linked the latest decline to a broader sell-off in US technology stocks, which has also affected other risk assets. Bitcoin had reached an all-time high of more than $125,000 on October 5 before falling sharply in the days that followed, highlighting the continued volatility in the crypto market.
Businessman Aliko Dangote has explained why he believes Nigerians should participate in the ownership of his refinery by purchasing shares.
He was asked by singer Davido why Nigerians should participate, and Dangote explained that the initiative would help spread wealth and prosperity across Africa.
“Well, it’s very important because that is the only way to spread prosperity and wealth throughout Africa. And like I said, this is not going to be the first and the last. We will continue with even our fertilizer. By the time we finish listing, every single one will own part of our businesses and we will create a pool of cash…”
He explained that the goal is to create opportunities for more Nigerians to own a stake in the businesses and help spread wealth across the country.
Aliko Dangote speaks on his lineage and addresses not having a son as he was asked about not having a son to carry his name and achievements.
“That is not my priority because God controls everything. You can pray for God to give you a son, but he might be the one to take down the name of the family.”
Instead, he shared that he does not mind not having a son. “I don’t think a son would have done better than the three daughters I have.”
Aside from that, he was also asked about giving advice to young Nigerians. “Work hard, be consistent, focused and know what you want to do.”
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