Africa’s richest man and Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has reacted to a Kenyan court order concerning his planned oil refinery project in Lamu County, saying he is prepared to confront anyone seeking to disrupt the investment.

Dangote spoke in Nairobi on Tuesday, September 29, after learning that a court had issued an order restricting construction activities at the site of the proposed refinery.

“Yesterday, when I landed, I saw a report that one court had given an order that we should not do any construction. I said that this is normal for us in Africa. We don’t care. In fact, this is even small,” Dangote said.

ALSO READ: Kenyan Court Halts Dangote Refinery Work

The businessman recalled a similar legal challenge involving one of his investments in Senegal, saying the project there was stopped for about a year before the matter was taken to the Supreme Court.

“In Senegal, they stopped our factory for one year, and we went up to the Supreme Court to get a judgment, so anybody who wants to cause trouble, we are ready for them,” he said.

“We know the people who are doing all these things, and we will face them.”
The comments come amid a legal dispute over land earmarked for Dangote’s proposed refinery in Lamu. Local residents have challenged the project, while the court has issued an order maintaining the status quo pending further proceedings.

Despite the legal challenge, Dangote said the proposed refinery would bring significant economic opportunities to the region.

He said the project could require more than 60,000 people at the height of construction, while the presence of workers and businesses around the facility would stimulate wider economic activity.

“We will try to train a lot of people here because at the height of the project, we will need over 60,000 people on site. When these people are paid their salary, they will need to eat. Other companies will also set up shop,” he said.

Dangote also dismissed concerns that the long-term future of the oil industry would be undermined by the transition towards renewable energy, arguing that petroleum remains important beyond gasoline and other fuels.

The proposed Lamu refinery is expected to have a capacity of about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and is projected as a major investment in Kenya’s petroleum sector.

The legal dispute comes ahead of the planned launch-related activities for the project, with the court proceedings expected to continue in October.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has warned the Federal Government, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as Nigerian missions abroad, against engaging with a group presenting itself as “NIDO Worldwide.”

The Commission’s latest position comes amid an escalating dispute over the authority of the organisation and its representation of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

The controversy followed a September 18 statement issued in the name of “NIDO Worldwide” concerning 13 audit observations raised against NiDCOM in the Auditor-General for the Federation’s annual report.

SEE ALSO: ‘That’s a False Report’ — Ekene Fires Back at NiDCOM Over India Deportation Claims

The statement demanded explanations from the Commission over the observations.

However, NIDO chapters in Africa, the Americas and the United Kingdom subsequently distanced themselves from the publication, saying they did not authorise or approve it.

The chapters also challenged the authority of individuals who purportedly spoke on their behalf.

Against this backdrop, NiDCOM, in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 29, said the organisation currently presenting itself as “NIDO Worldwide” is not a duly constituted body with the authority to speak for all NIDO chapters across the world.

The Commission said NIDO was established as a non-political, non-governmental organisation serving as an umbrella body for Nigerians in the Diaspora, with country and continental structures.

It, however, noted that the organisation has over the years experienced leadership disputes, factionalisation and fragmentation within some of its structures.

NiDCOM also pointed out that NIDO does not exist in several countries, where other credible and recognised diaspora organisations operate.

The Commission specifically addressed the role of Chibuzor Ubochi, who has presented himself as the leader of “NIDO Worldwide.”
NiDCOM said Ubochi is a factional chairman of one of the continental chapters and currently has a pending court case against him in that regard.

“Consequently, NiDCOM strongly advises the Federal Government of Nigeria, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and Nigerian Missions abroad to exercise extreme caution and avoid falling victim to a phantom organisation calling itself ‘NIDO Worldwide’,” the Commission said.

The Commission urged all factions within NIDO to resolve their differences, put their structures in order and work together in the overall interest of Nigerians in the Diaspora.

It also called on diaspora organisations to refrain from dragging NIDO into political partisanship.

NiDCOM further advised MDAs and Nigerian missions abroad to seek clarification and guidance from the Commission before engaging with any individual or group claiming to represent Nigerians in the Diaspora.

According to the Commission, it maintains a register of duly registered diaspora groups and associations.

The Commission reaffirmed its readiness to work with all duly constituted diaspora organisations and well-meaning Nigerians in the Diaspora, in line with its mandate to harness the human and material resources of Nigerians abroad for Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

Former presidential aide and political commentator, Reno Omokri, has responded to criticism of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) by ADC chieftain Dino Melaye, clarifying that the ₦20,000 received by the lowest-paid students under the scheme is a monthly allowance, not an annual payment.

Omokri made this known in a post on X on Tuesday while responding to Melaye’s criticism of the Federal Government’s student loan programme.

RELATED NEWS: ‘NELFUND Is A Haven Of Corruption’ — Dino Melaye Blasts Tinubu Govt

“Dear Distinguished Senator @_dinomelaye, thank you for your feedback. However, please note that the lowest-paid student on the NELFUND Student Loan Scheme receives ₦20,000 a MONTH, not ₦20,000 a YEAR, as you alleged in this video,” Omokri wrote.

He said this means the minimum amount received by such students over a year is ₦240,000.

“In a year, the minimum that students on the program get is ₦240,000,” he added.
Omokri also claimed that more than one million students are beneficiaries of the programme, with many recipients from Northern Nigeria, where he said average annual university tuition is about ₦100,000.

He cited a student of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, whose annual school fees he said amount to ₦84,000.

“Please find attached an actual screenshot of a monthly NELFUND alert paid to a student admitted to the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa State, where his total annual school fees are ₦84,000,” Omokri said.

According to him, the payment was made in September 2026, adding that he would privately provide the student’s details to Melaye for verification.

Omokri described the programme as beneficial to Nigerian students, saying it had enabled more than one million students to enrol in universities.

“The NELFUND Student Loan Program is a lifesaver for Nigerian students,” he said.
He also urged critics to avoid turning the programme into a political issue.

“Perhaps, as patriotic citizens who love Nigeria and want the best for her, we can avoid undermining this lofty idea by not politicising it,” Omokri said.

Melaye’s Earlier Criticism

Omokri’s response followed criticism from Melaye, who described NELFUND as a “haven of corruption” and questioned the Federal Government’s claim that it was paying students’ school fees.

Melaye alleged that hundreds of billions of naira allocated to the programme were not being properly accounted for.

“The entire program is a baggage of fraud,” Melaye said, challenging the government to provide greater transparency over the scheme.

He also questioned the adequacy of the ₦20,000 payment, asking: “Which government school today takes ₦20,000 annual school fees?”

Melaye argued that students also have transportation and other educational expenses to meet.

He cited a student living in Suleja and attending the University of Abuja in Gwagwalada, saying the amount “cannot take him from Suleja to Gwagwalada and back home.”

The ADC chieftain further challenged NELFUND to disclose its beneficiaries and provide details of its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.

“What is the monitoring and evaluation? I challenge them to publish the names of Nigerian students that have benefited from that program,” he said.