Aliko Dangote (born April 10, 1957) is a Nigerian businessman and industrialist. He is best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Dangote Group, the largest industrial..
Aliko Dangote (born April 10, 1957) is a Nigerian businessman and industrialist. He is best known as the founder, chairman, and CEO of the Dangote Group, the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.
Notable Achievements:
The Dangote Group was established as a small trading firm in 1977, the same year Dangote relocated to Lagos to expand the company Dangote received a ₦500,000 loan from his uncle to begin trading in commodities, including bagged cement as well as agricultural goods like rice and sugar.
In the 1990s, he approached the Central Bank of Nigeria with the idea that it would be less expensive for the bank to allow his transport company to manage their fleet of staff buses, a proposal that was also approved.
Today, the Dangote Group is one of the largest conglomerates in Africa, with international operations in Benin, Ghana, Zambia, and Togo. The Dangote Group has moved from being a trading company to being the largest industrial group in Nigeria, encompassing divisions like Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement, and Dangote Flour.
The company employs more than 11,000 people in West Africa.
In July 2012, Dangote approached the Nigerian Ports Authority to lease an abandoned piece of land at the Apapa Port, which was approved. He later built facilities for his sugar company there. It is the largest refinery in Africa and the third largest in the world, producing 800,000 metric tons of sugar annually.
The Dangote Group owns salt factories and flour mills and is a major importer of rice, fish, pasta, cement, and fertilizer.
The company exports cotton, cashew nuts, cocoa, sesame seeds, and ginger to several countries. Additionally, it has major investments in real estate, banking, transport, textiles, oil, and gas.
In February 2022, Dangote announced the completion of the Peugeot assembling facility in Nigeria following his partnership with Stellantis Group, the parent company of Peugeot, and the Kano and Kaduna state governments. The new automobile company, Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited (DPAN) factory, which is based in Kaduna, commenced operations with the roll-out of the Peugeot 301, Peugeot 5008, 3008, 508, and Land Trek.
Education:
Dangote was educated at the Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa, followed by Capital High School in Kano.[11] In 1978, he graduated from the Government College, Birnin Kudu. He received a bachelor's degree in business studies and administration from Al-Azhar University in Cairo.
Other Achievements:
Dangote has worked alongside the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on public health issues. In August 2014, he donated ₦150 million ($750,000) to assist the Nigerian government's efforts to stop the spread of Ebola.
In May 2016, he pledged $10 million to support Nigerians affected by the Boko Haram insurgency. In March 2020, he donated ₦200 million ($500,000) towards the fight against the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria.