Why we all have to pray for Dangote

MaTaZ ArIsInG
Dallas, Texas

We all should pray for this man. This man should be protected at all costs. Now, before you go about commenting on how he is a capitalist, please kindly read to the end.

According to findings, KitKat, a brand owned by Nestlé, is valued at over 2.12 billion U.S. dollars. That’s how much this brand alone generated for the company.

Now, guess what?

80% of their raw material, which is cocoa, is sourced from West Africa.

Yep! You heard right.

This brand sources its cocoa from West African farmers, mostly in Ghana and other West African nations. But that’s not all.

After Nestlé refines the cocoa and produces KitKats, these final products are exported back to Africa and sold to us at higher prices.

And thanks to dollar exchange rates, in places like Naija, the imported KitKat is sold at exorbitant prices.

So, in essence, Nestlé buys cocoa from us at a cheap cost, refines and processes it into finished goods, and sells it back to us at higher retail prices.

Now imagine the people (the middlemen) involved in cocoa exportation, some of whom exploit cocoa farmers, and the importers involved in the importation of KitKat products. Do you think either group will ever allow local refining of cocoa in West Africa?

Anyone who even dares to do so will face severe opposition from them. You all know how it is.

Why this illustration?

This is exactly what happens in the oil and gas sector.

I’ll save you the details, but just imagine the volume of crude we export at cost price, and while you are at it, I want you to look at the list of refined items that are imported back to us as a nation.

Fuels: Petrol, Diesel, Kerosene, Jet Fuel (Aviation Turbine Fuel), etc.

Petrochemicals: Ethylene, Propylene, Butadiene, Benzene, Methanol, etc.

Lubricants: Motor Oil, Grease, Hydraulic Fluids, and Lubricants

Others are;

Wax, Polyethylene, Fertilizers, etc.

Solvents: Paint Thinners, Cleaning Fluids, Dry Cleaning Chemicals, etc.

Now, I want you to take a look at all the by-products I listed above. Imagine how much foreign exchange we spend to import those materials every year?

While you are at it again, imagine the billions of dollars those importers make from these products.

All this is what Aliko Dangote is about to curb in one swoop.

Do you think the cartels involved in crude oil export and refined crude products will want his refinery to work?

Do you think those individuals will just sit back and clap for Aliko Dangote for being industrious enough to change our economy?

Do you think those who benefit directly or indirectly, legitimately or illegitimately, from crude oil export and refined crude product import will want that refinery to see the light of day?

Now you understand why I say we should pray for this man.

I won’t be surprised if the intentional bottlenecks caused by this group of persions are the reason why the refinery has yet to commence full operation. No, I won’t be surprised.

This is the time when we need the federal government to put its foot down. Well, unless, of course, this Dangote refinery is also set to expose some government excuses as regards our other refineries…

So this is why I say this man should be protected.

His refinery is about to become a major feat in West Africa. One that will boost the confidence of other local investors.

I mean, if Dangote can build the largest refinery in Nigeria/Africa, then anyone can build the largest cocoa processing factory in West Africa.

Get it?

Daniel Adeniyi

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