Pat Stevens/
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has declared that reviving the long-abandoned Ajaokuta Steel Complex is no longer realistic, arguing that global technology has far outpaced the project.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on Tuesday, the President of Dangote Group said that while no country can thrive without a functional steel industry, Ajaokuta’s outdated model makes it impossible to resuscitate.
“The truth is, Ajaokuta will not work. We can keep deceiving ourselves and being passionate about it, but it’s not possible,” he said. “It’s like comparing the old Volkswagen Igala cars we once produced with today’s Kia. Things have changed.”
Dangote likened efforts to revive the plant to “bringing a dying patient to run a 100-metre race,” insisting that Nigeria must focus on modern, competitive approaches to steel production instead of clinging to obsolete plans.
The Ajaokuta project, conceived in 1979 as an integrated steel hub, was meant to host a Metallurgical Process Plant, Engineering Complex, and other facilities.
More than 45 years later, however, it remains stalled, crippled by corruption and mismanagement despite billions of dollars invested.
Warning that Africa risks becoming a dumping ground for outdated industrial models and imports, Dangote stressed that the continent must prioritise innovation to protect jobs and support its rapidly growing population.
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