David Hundeyin has narrated how he defiantly turned down an N800,000 offer from an international NGO; Dialogue Earth to write a critical article on Nigeria’s sole operating oil refinery, the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company.
In a striking revelation, Hundeyin, founder of West Africa Weekly and a multiple award-winning investigative journalist, made his rejection clear in a pointed post on X, formerly Twitter. The NGO, based in London and backed by various funding organizations linked to American intelligence operations, proposed inflammatory titles like “Dangote Refinery: A Test for Nigeria’s Climate Ambitions” and “A Burning Issue: Dangote’s $20 Billion Oil Bet Highlights Nigeria’s High-Stakes Climate Paradox.” Their intent was unmistakably to frame the refinery as a menace to both the environment and Nigeria’s future. “It will never be me,” Hundeyin declared, vehemently rejecting the notion that external interests should dictate Nigeria’s narrative. He underscored the irony of foreign entities targeting local voices to fuel their agendas while turning a blind eye to the damaging practices that perpetuate West Africa’s poverty. “Last week, I was approached with an N800,000 offer from an NGO called Dialogue Earth—formerly the China Dialogue Trust—to write an article essentially painting the Dangote Refinery as disastrous for the environment under the guise of ‘Environmental Concerns’ and ‘Climate Change’,” Hundeyin explained.
The underlying suggestion from the brief was clear: the NGO sought a prominent local figure to lend their credibility to an argument that could lead to the closure of the refinery in the name of “energy transition commitments” and “environmental policy.” Hundeyin pointed out the hypocrisy behind this motivation, noting that while Dialogue Earth has not challenged the harmful practice of exporting raw materials while importing refined fuel—an act that deepens poverty—they’re quick to attack Nigeria’s own refining capacity.
“Nigeria developing its own refinery to break reliance on European fuel imports and manage the sulfur content of its own fuels? That’s where they draw the line,” he stated, laying bare the stark economic realities.
Hundeyin vehemently dismissed the label of “conspiracy theorist” for exposing the interests of Western entities in African affairs. These actors, he argued, seek to maintain Africa’s economic subjugation for their profit, perpetuating a cycle of poverty that benefits them.
“They want to keep Africans in a state of deprivation, our existence merely to enhance their own experience on this planet. The message must be loud and clear: as impoverished as we are, we refuse to promote our own poverty for a mere $500. They can’t bribe us to ignore the obvious manipulations at play,” he asserted.
“I do not subscribe to the religion of ‘Climate Change’—I care about the environment as much as the affluent figures who have ravaged it. If Africa must industrialize through the burning of fossil fuels, even if it disrupts the climate in America and Europe, that’s a cost I’m willing to consider. It’s our prerogative to determine the use of our hydrocarbons.”
He concluded with a challenge to affluent individuals whose interests may be threatened by Nigeria’s oil refinement. “If you’re one of those who feel threatened by our progress, step into the arena against Aliko Dangote yourself, or find someone more gullible to do your bidding. There’s no shortage of those,” he stated, adamantly asserting Africa’s right to control its own destiny.
