Reporter states Africa is West’s dumping ground for toxic fuel

(MENAFN) Nigerian investigative journalist David Hundeyin told RT that Western energy producers treat Africa as a dumping ground for dirty fuels that cannot be sold in their home markets. He highlighted a deliberate geopolitical strategy designed to hinder African countries from achieving industrial self-sufficiency.

Hundeyin explained that fuel sold in African markets is often refined to the lowest standards, with sulfur content sometimes reaching levels 200 times higher than those allowed in the EU. Instead of paying to meet strict European environmental regulations, producers export these substandard fuels to Africa because it is cheaper and easier.

This is not an accidental practice but a politically motivated system, Hundeyin argued. He pointed to a global economic structure maintained by the US and European countries that prevents nations in the Global South from fully utilizing or adding value to their natural resources. To change this, he believes African countries must make a conscious political break from their current geopolitical ties with the West.

His remarks follow comments by Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote, who noted that despite Africa’s large crude oil production, the continent still imports over 120 million tons of refined petroleum products annually—losing billions in potential jobs and economic growth.

A 2024 investigation by Mail & Guardian revealed that major commodity traders such as Trafigura and Vitol continue to export “African-quality” fuels with dangerously high levels of sulfur, benzene, and manganese. Earlier reports also exposed how these traders flood African markets with toxic diesel, leading to increased air pollution and health problems across the continent.

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