Dangote Denies Rift With Elumelu Over Refinery Funding

The Dangote Group has dismissed viral claims suggesting a rift between its President, Aliko Dangote, and businessman Tony Elumelu, describing the reports as false, misleading, and a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.

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The company also denied claims that Dangote sought financial assistance from friends and prominent associates to complete the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

In a statement issued by its Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina, the company cautioned content creators, organisations, and digital platforms against spreading misinformation, including AI-generated content, using the Dangote brand and its leadership.

The reaction followed a viral post on 𝕏 which alleged that Dangote had approached some prominent Nigerian businessmen for financial support during the construction of the refinery.

The post claimed that Elumelu pledged $20m but later cut off communication.

It also alleged that other business figures, including Mike Adenuga, Abdulsamad Rabiu, and Femi Otedola, contributed significant sums to the project.

However, the Dangote Group rejected the claims, saying neither Dangote nor the company made such statements.

‘Claims Are Inaccurate’

The statement read, “The Group categorically rejects claims that the development of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was financed through personal borrowing from friends. These assertions are wholly inaccurate and constitute a deliberate misrepresentation of facts.

“As a matter of principle, Aliko Dangote neither finances his projects through personal borrowing from friends nor engages in lending arrangements of that nature. Any individual making such claims should provide verifiable evidence to substantiate them.”

“Equally false are suggestions of any estrangement between Aliko Dangote and Mr Tony Elumelu, with whom he maintains a longstanding and cordial relationship,” the statement added.

The company said the reports were not only false but capable of misleading the public and creating unnecessary controversy around respected business leaders.

Dangote Group insisted that there was no disagreement between Dangote and Elumelu. It maintained that both businessmen share a longstanding and cordial relationship, contrary to the claims being circulated online.

The company said any suggestion of a fallout between the two men was baseless and should be ignored.

The group warned content creators and digital platforms against using the names of Dangote, its leadership or its businesses to promote unverified claims.

It said the spread of misleading content, especially AI-generated posts, could damage reputations and misinform the public.

The company urged those behind such claims to provide verifiable evidence or desist from circulating falsehoods.

It added that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery was not funded through personal loans from friends, stressing that the viral report was false and should be disregarded.