Aliko Dangote

Aliko Mohammad Dangote Template:Post-nominals (born April 10, 1957) is a Nigerian billionaire businessman and industrialist who serves as chairman and chief executive officer of Dangote Group, a conglomerate with operations in cement, sugar, flour, salt, and oil refining. He is the wealthiest person in Africa and the wealthiest Black person in the world, with a net worth of approximately US$30.6 billion as of November 2025, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. In 2024, his Dangote Refinery, Africa's largest oil refinery, began commercial operations, making him a major player in the continent's energy sector.

Early life and family background

Aliko Mohammad Dangote was born on April 10, 1957, in Kano, Kano State, in what was then British Nigeria. His name "Aliko," meaning "the victorious one who defends humanity," was given to him by his maternal grandfather, Sanusi Dantata.

Dangote was born into one of West Africa's most prominent merchant families. His mother, Mariya (née Dantata), came from a wealthy trading family and was a businesswoman and philanthropist. His father, Mohammed Dangote, owned a transport company and died in 1965, after which Aliko donated his inheritance to charity.

His maternal great-grandfather, Alhassan Abdullahi Dantata, was considered the wealthiest person in West Africa until his death in 1955, having built a fortune importing kola nuts from Ghana and exporting groundnuts. Dangote has cited his maternal grandfather, Sanusi Dantata, and maternal uncle, Usman Amaka Dantata, as influential paternal figures in his upbringing.

Dangote had three siblings, all of whom predeceased him: Sani Dangote, a businessman who died of colorectal cancer; Bello, who died in a 1996 plane crash alongside the son of military ruler Sani Abacha; and Garba, who died in 2013 following a stroke.

Education

Raised as a Muslim, Dangote received his primary education at Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa and a public school. He completed his secondary education at Capital High School in Kano and then at Government College, Birnin Kudu, graduating in 1978.

Dangote has stated that his entrepreneurial instincts emerged early—at age eight, he sold boiled sugar sweets to his classmates and saved the profits.

He subsequently studied business at Al-Azhar University, an Islamic institution in Cairo, Egypt, completing his studies in 1977.

Career

Early business ventures

Upon returning to Nigeria in 1977, Dangote received a loan of ₦500,000 (approximately US$3,000 at the time) from his uncle to start a business trading commodities, primarily cement, sugar, and other food products.

The business proved successful, and by 1981, Dangote had incorporated several enterprises and established the Dangote Group. During the 1980s and 1990s, business conditions were challenging in Nigeria due to a succession of military governments and coups d'état that disrupted the economy.

Transition to manufacturing

A turning point came with the election of Olusegun Obasanjo as president in 1999, which ushered in a period of democratic governance and economic reform. Dangote seized the opportunity to transition from trading to manufacturing, focusing on producing goods domestically rather than importing them for Nigeria's large consumer market.

In 2000, the Dangote Group acquired the Benue Cement Company PLC from the Nigerian government. In 2003, the company commissioned the Obajana Cement Plant, which became the largest cement plant in sub-Saharan Africa.

Dangote Cement

Dangote Cement is sub-Saharan Africa's largest cement producer. Dangote maintains an 86% ownership stake in the company, which dominates Nigeria's cement market and operates plants across 10 African countries.

The company has been central to Dangote's fortune and to infrastructure development across Africa, supplying cement for construction projects throughout the continent.

Dangote Refinery

In 2013, Dangote announced plans to build a massive oil refinery in Lagos State to help address Nigeria's chronic fuel shortages. Despite Nigeria being Africa's largest oil producer, the country had long imported most of its refined petroleum products due to the failure of its state-owned refineries.

After years of delays and cost overruns, the Dangote Refinery began commercial operations in early 2024. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, it is the largest single-train refinery in the world and the largest oil refinery in Africa.

Dangote owns 92.3% of the refinery, which cost approximately US$20 billion to build. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) holds a 7.2% stake, with the remainder held by other investors.

Other business interests

Beyond cement and oil refining, the Dangote Group operates in multiple sectors:

• Fertilizer: The Dangote Fertiliser plant has an annual capacity of 2.8 million tonnes of urea, making it one of the largest fertilizer plants in the world.
• Sugar: Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc is one of Nigeria's largest sugar producers.
• Salt: NASCON Allied Industries Plc produces salt and seasoning products.
• Banking: Dangote holds a significant stake in United Bank for Africa (UBA), one of Africa's largest banks.

Controversies

NNPC and refinery disputes

The Dangote Refinery has been the subject of significant controversy with Nigerian government entities, particularly the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

In 2024, NMDPRA officials alleged that diesel produced by the Dangote Refinery was of inferior quality compared to imports. Dangote vigorously disputed these claims, presenting laboratory tests showing his refinery's diesel had a sulfur content of 87.6 parts per million (ppm), compared to over 1,800 ppm in some imported products. During a tour by members of Nigeria's House of Representatives, Dangote challenged regulators to conduct impartial quality comparisons.

Monopoly allegations

Dangote was labeled a monopolist by critics who argued his dominance in multiple sectors was anti-competitive. In response, he offered to sell the refinery to NNPC, stating: "Let them buy me out and run the refinery the best way they can. They have labeled me a monopolist. That's an incorrect and unfair allegation."

"Oil mafia" allegations

Dangote has publicly alleged that vested interests in Nigeria's oil sector have worked to undermine his refinery project. At an investment conference in June 2024, he stated: "I knew there would be a fight, but I didn't expect the oil mafia to be stronger than the drug mafia."

The dispute touched on broader issues in Nigeria's oil sector, including a scandal involving substandard petroleum products imported from Malta-based blending operations. Tests showed some imported diesel had sulfur concentrations far exceeding regulatory standards.

EFCC investigation

In January 2024, officials from Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided the Dangote Group's Lagos headquarters as part of an investigation into the Central Bank of Nigeria's allocation of foreign currency to companies. The Dangote Group characterized the visit as "designed to cause us unwarranted embarrassment."

Philanthropy

Aliko Dangote Foundation

In 1994, Dangote established the Dangote Foundation for his philanthropic activities; it was renamed the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) in 2018.

In 2014, Dangote endowed the foundation with US$1.25 billion, with the stated aim of giving back to Africa. The foundation spends approximately US$35 million annually on programs across the continent.

Key foundation initiatives include:

• A US$100 million multi-year program to treat children with severe malnutrition
• A partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and others on a vaccine program that contributed to the World Health Organization's 2020 declaration that polio had been eradicated from Africa—Nigeria being the last country to achieve this milestone
• Distribution of more than one million bags of rice throughout Nigeria in 2024 and 2025
• A US$10 million donation to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology in Kano State

Recognition

In 2025, Dangote was named to the inaugural TIME100 Philanthropy list, recognizing the 100 most influential leaders shaping the future of philanthropy worldwide. He was the only Nigerian on the list.

Awards and honors

Dangote has received numerous national and international honors:

• Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON, 2011) – Nigeria's second-highest civilian honor, awarded by President Goodluck Jonathan. Dangote was the first non-government official to receive the distinction.
• Time 100 (2014) – Listed among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world
• Grand Commander of the National Order of the Republic of Benin – Benin's highest national accolade
• Commander of the National Order of Valour – Cameroon's highest civilian honor
• Commander of the Order of Merit of Niger – From the Republic of Niger

Personal life

Dangote has been married twice. In 1977, at age 20, he married his first wife, Zainab, in an arranged marriage in accordance with local customs. The couple had two daughters—Mariya and Halima—before divorcing at an unspecified date.

He later married Mariya Muhammad Rufai, daughter of a former Bauchi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Human Services. They had one daughter, Fatima, before divorcing in 2017. As of 2025, Dangote is not married.

Dangote has four children: three biological daughters and an adopted son named Abdulrahman Fasasi. He also has five grandchildren.

His children include:

• Mariya Dangote: First daughter, holds a Master's degree from Coventry University; maintains a low profile
• Halima Dangote: Executive Director of Commercial Operations at Dangote Group; graduated from American Intercontinental University London with a bachelor's degree in marketing and holds an MBA from Webster Graduate School; married to Sulaiman Sani Bello with two daughters
• Fatima Dangote: Graduated from the University of Surrey with a law degree; member of the Nigerian Bar Association; Special Assistant to the Managing Director at Dangote Cement; her 2018 wedding was attended by global figures including Bill Gates

Dangote is known for maintaining privacy regarding his personal life.

Net worth

As of November 2025, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates Dangote's net worth at US$30.6 billion, making him the wealthiest person in Africa for the 14th consecutive year and the wealthiest Black person in the world.

His wealth is derived primarily from:

• 86% stake in Dangote Cement Plc
• 92.3% stake in Dangote Refinery, valued at approximately US$18.6 billion based on construction costs
• Stakes in Dangote Sugar Refinery, NASCON Allied Industries, and United Bank for Africa
• The Dangote Fertiliser plant

Dangote's net worth increased by approximately 72% in early 2025 as the refinery began full operations, rising from approximately US$13.9 billion in early 2024.

External links

• Dangote Group official website
• Bloomberg Billionaires profile