Connect with us

Features

Aliko Dangote: the richest man in Africa

Published

on

Times News Global Featured Image

Aliko Dangote is the CEO of the Dangote Group. His wide-scale businesses cover many different operations. Through his founding of the Dangote Group, he has managed to become one of the richest men in the world and is currently the richest man in all of Africa. We’ve taken a closer look at Aliko Dangote and some of the different paths he has trod in order to reach his current status in the world.

 

Not so humble beginnings 

While it’s often a trope for rich businessmen to have taken a rags to riches journey, this isn’t the case for Aliko Dangote. He was born into a wealthy family, which gave him a head start on many of his peers. His great-grandfather was himself once the richest man in Africa, a title he held on to until his death. His grandfather was also a director at Shell Nigeria, which just goes to show that Dangote lived a privileged early life.

He managed to craft his own route to the top, and took a few gambles along the way, which people who didn’t have that level of privilege would be unable to do. Of course, success with gambling isn’t always related to winning big. Sometimes it can be more important to have fun, which is why a bet9ja promo code can be a good way to grab some extra fun whilst gambling.

 

Economic development

One of the biggest reasons for Dangote’s success has been his dedication to working in a number of different industries. The Dangote Group is an economic powerhouse within Nigeria and the surrounding area. A lot of this is due to Aliko’s deals that he managed to negotiate.

He was able to negotiate with the bank of Nigeria to manage the buses for staff. On top of this, his company controls the majority of the sugar and flour within Nigeria. This has allowed him to expand to other areas across the world.

 

Sporting interests 

As well as being a shrewd businessman, Dangote has a big interest in sport. While he donated some money to ensure the national stadium was up to date, he has also had a big part in the Nigerian men’s national football team. This included a donation to the team for every goal they scored during AFCON 2019.

There has also been some talk of Dangote trying to buy Arsenal Football Club – of course, with the Kroenke ownership having a tight grip on the club, this is extremely unlikely.

 

Philanthropy

One of the most well-known aspects of Dangote’s profile is that he is interested in philanthropy. He has donated money to help pandemic responses a number of times. This shows that while he does have significant wealth, he is dedicated to keeping the people within his country safe.

He is also dedicated to helping Nigeria thrive. He tries to do this by investing in the workforce and the infrastructure within the country. As his company has a lot to do with the construction industry, it’s obvious that this isn’t an idle gesture.