Rising Oil Prices Forcing Remote Work In Some Countries — Dangote

President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has said rising global oil prices have compelled some countries to ask citizens to work from home in a bid to manage escalating energy costs.

Dangote made the remarks while speaking to journalists after a courtesy visit to Bola Tinubu following the Eid al-Fitr celebrations.

He warned that if tensions in the Middle East persist, energy prices will continue to rise, placing additional pressure on governments already struggling to increase wages.

“So people will really feel the heat. People like barbers, people who are making bread, people who have industries, who have to fire their own generators,” he said.

Dangote noted that some countries have already adopted measures to cushion the impact.

“In some countries today, what they’ve done is ask everybody to work from home. I think in Indonesia or so, they said only go to work four days a week and they will look at the situation—if it doesn’t improve, they will ask everybody not to go to work anymore,” he added.

He compared the situation to the global response during the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote work became widespread.

Speaking on the broader implications, Dangote said the ongoing Middle East conflict would inevitably affect Nigeria despite the country not being directly involved.

“But we pray this situation will be sorted out. If it doesn’t de-escalate, we’ll end up paying big prices,” he said.

He further warned that Africa’s already high debt burden could worsen under the strain of rising energy costs, noting that many citizens depend on daily income to survive.

“People normally go out and look for money for the next day or even for the same day. If they don’t work that day, they won’t eat,” he said.

Dangote also cautioned that some actors may exploit the crisis for profit, further driving up costs.

His comments came days after the International Energy Agency advised that reducing travel, working remotely where possible, and adopting energy-saving measures could help cushion the impact of the crisis on consumers.