Billionaire oil mogul Alhaji Aliko Dangote has reaffirmed his determination to see his $23 billion refinery succeed despite immense challenges.

With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, the refinery is Africa’s largest. Speaking to Forbes, the Kano-born business magnate described the oil industry’s power struggles, stating, “I’ve been fighting battles all my life and I have not lost one yet. The oil mafia is more deadly than the one in drugs.”

Dangote acknowledged facing significant resistance from regulators and powerful industry players since launching the project. He revealed that the journey to completion was fraught with uncertainties, calling it “the biggest risk” of his life. “If this didn’t work, I was dead,” he admitted.

Despite financing struggles, regulatory hurdles, and supply chain challenges, Dangote remains committed to industrializing Africa. He emphasized the need for self-sufficiency, stating, “We have to build our own continent by ourselves, not [rely on] foreign investment.” His refinery, he added, is a pivotal step in breaking Africa’s dependence on imported petroleum products and creating local wealth.

Despite establishing a family office in Dubai and involving his daughters in the business, Dangote’s focus remains on Nigeria. He continues to oversee the refinery’s operations while working on other ambitious projects, including a subsea gas pipeline from the Niger Delta to Lagos and an expansion of the refinery’s fertilizer plant.

Looking ahead, he plans to take the refinery public within the next year or two.