Dangote can't even succeed without Govt intervention then who are you to think you no try.
He had to kee competition for his refinery self.
Aliko Dangote has had several unsuccessful or failed business ventures, particularly in the 1980s–2000s, before cement, sugar, and the refinery became his core successes. They are:
• Textile Mills - No government protection against cheap smuggled/imported textiles (especially from China), high costs, and policy inconsistencies killed the business.
• Liberty Merchant Bank - Dangote sold his bank to pay pensions/gratuities for long-serving workers (some with 25–30 years)
• Telecommunications (Dangote Telco) - Failed woefully/never fully materialized. Overwhelmed by established players like MTN and Globacom plus regulatory barriers
• Aviation (Dangote Airlines) - Failed due to operational challenges, regulatory hurdles, poor infrastructure, and competition.
• Tomato Processing / Agribusiness Processing (Kano plant, including tomato paste) - Struggled for years with insufficient local tomato supply, pest outbreaks (e.g., bugs destroying crops), high operational costs, low farmer payments disputes, and competition from cheap imports/substandard products.
• Fruit Juice (Dansa Drink / Dansa Juice) - did not gain sustainable market traction
• Flour Mills - Failed due to FX issues and market pressures