In a startling revelation at the Afreximbank Annual Meetings and AfriCaribbean Trade & Investment Forum, held in the Bahamas. Nigerian business mogul and Africa richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has brought to light a pressing health crisis affecting Nigeria. According to Dangote, the poor quality of fuel widely available in Nigeria and Africa is significantly contributing to the rising incidence of cancer among its populace.
Speaking passionately, Dangote who owned the 650,000bl/d Dangote refinery sited in Lagos Nigeria, pointed out that substandard fuel is rampant in Nigeria, and across Africa contains high levels of Sulphur, and are dirty. He emphasized that prolonged exposure to these harmful substances through vehicle emissions and other sources is posing a severe threat to african citizens.
“Of recent in the last few years, we have been having cases of cancer, and most of which are due to the bad fuel that we have been using” Dangote stated, urging governmental authorities in the Caribbean to check the fuel being dumped in their countries, empahsizing quality is key.
The impact of poor fuel quality extends beyond immediate health concerns, affecting environmental sustainability and economic stability in Nigeria. Dangote highlighted the broader implications of using substandard fuel, including its detrimental effects on air quality and the increased healthcare costs associated with treating diseases linked to pollution.
In response to Dangote’s revelations, medical health experts and environmental advocates have echoed his concerns, calling for stringent measures to improve fuel standards across the country. They emphasized the need for comprehensive regulatory reforms and heightened enforcement to ensure that only safe and clean fuels are available to Nigerian consumers. According to the expert it is sad that Nigeria crude oil attract the best price in the global market, but unfortunately import the dirtiest fuel.
