Next Africa

The Billionaire Who Won Nigeria’s Battle for Fuel

With Nigeria’s freeze on gasoline-import permits, citizens will buy only from him.

The Dangote Industries oil refinery and fertilizer plant site in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2023.Photographer: Benson Ibeabuchi/Bloomberg

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By Nduka Orjinmo

March 12, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

Welcome to Next Africa, a daily newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it’s headed. Sign up here to have it delivered to your email. In today’s edition, we look at a new monopoly in Nigeria as well as:

Africa’s richest man got what he wanted.