Cement: Dangote Was Given The Same Level Playing Field – Aliko

Africa’s wealthiest man and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has refuted claims that his conglomerate enjoys a monopoly in the Nigerian market.

Dangote addressed these allegations during a meeting with the leadership of the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, over the weekend.

Dangote emphasized the value-added approach of his company’s operations, highlighting that they utilize local raw materials to create products for the market.

“If you look at all our operations at Dangote (Group), we add value; we take local raw materials and turn them into products, and we sell,” he stated.

He categorically denied that the Dangote Group has ever prevented others from entering the same industries.

“We have never consciously or unconsciously stopped anybody from doing the same business that we are doing,” Dangote said.

Referencing the cement industry, he noted that when Dangote Cement entered the market, it was not the only player.

“When we first came into cement production, it was only Lafarge that was operating here in Nigeria… Nobody ever called Lafarge a monopoly,” he recalled.

Dangote expressed his dismay at the label, stating, “Monopoly is when you stop people, you block them through legal means. No, it is a level playing field whereby whatever Dangote was given in cement, for example, other people were given because some of them even got more than us.”