Obasanjo: A French company has tried to frustrate Dangote’s cement ambition

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that French cement giant, Lafarge, hindered Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, during his bid to establish himself in the cement industry.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that French cement company Lafarge allegedly made concerted efforts to frustrate Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote’s business ambitions in the cement sector.

Obasanjo made the revelation on Wednesday while speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Dangote East Africa Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals Special Economic Zone in Lamu County, Kenya.

According to the former president, Dangote encountered significant opposition from Lafarge as he attempted to build his cement business.

He said the French company would “put every obstacle” in Dangote’s way in a bid to stop him from succeeding.

Obasanjo said: “The people who really didn’t want Aliko to succeed in cement production were from a French company called Lafarge, and they put every obstacle in Aliko’s way.”

Despite alleged resistance, the former president said Dangote persevered and eventually expanded his cement manufacturing operations beyond Nigeria to other African countries, including Senegal.

Obasanjo used Dangote’s experience in the cement industry to illustrate the Nigerian businessman’s resilience and expansion across the continent.

The remarks came as Dangote took another major step in his African industrial expansion with the launch of the refinery project in Kenya.

The proposed Dangote East Africa Oil and Petrochemicals Refinery SEZ is expected to have a refining capacity of approximately 700,000 barrels per day when completed, with an estimated investment cost of $16 billion.

The project is expected to expand Dangote’s oil and petrochemical footprint beyond Nigeria and deepen its involvement in Africa’s energy and industrial sectors.

The development follows the establishment of the Dangote Oil Refinery in Lagos, which has emerged as one of the largest refinery projects on the continent.

Obasanjo, who has consistently advocated for greater African industrialization and a reduction in dependence on imported manufacturing products, described Dangote’s entrepreneurial journey as evidence of the ability of African entrepreneurs to build large-scale industries despite challenges.

PLATFORM TIMES reports that Lafarge has historically been a major player in the Nigerian cement industry. The company later became part of LafargeHolcim, now Holcim, following a global merger.

Obasanjo’s statement about alleged attempts to frustrate Dangote was not accompanied by specific details about the obstacles or circumstances of the dispute in the reported remarks.

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