Aliko Dangote

Aliko Dangote
Aliko Dangote in 2011
Born	April 10, 1957 (1957-04-10) (age 54) Kano, Nigeria
Residence	Lagos, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian
Ethnicity	Fulani
Citizenship	Nigeria
Education	Business Studies, Al-Azhar University, Cairo
Occupation	Chairman & CEO, Dangote Group
Years active	1977—present
Known for	Wealth,Business
Home town	Kano
Net worth	US$ 13.8 billion (2011)[1]
Title	Alhaji
Religion	Islam
Parents	Mariya Sanusi Dantata (f), Mohammed Dangote (m)[2]
Website
Homepage

Alhaji Aliko Dangote (born April 10, 1957) is a businessman based in Nigeria. He is the owner of the Dangote Group, which has operations in Nigeria and several other countries in Africa, including Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa and Zambia.^[3] A wealthy supporter of erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo and the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). With an estimated current net worth of around US$ 13.8 billion, he was ranked by Forbes as one of the richest Nigerian citizens^[4] and richest person of African descent in the world toppling Mohammed Al Amoudi ($12.3 billion) and Oprah Winfrey ($2.7 billion.)^[5]

Business career

The Dangote Group, originally a small trading firm founded in 1977, is now a multi-trillion naira conglomerate with operations in Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo. Dangote's businesses include food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. The Dangote Group dominates the sugar market in Nigeria: it is the major sugar supplier to the country's soft drink companies, breweries, and confectioners. Dangote Group has moved from being a trading company to Nigeria's largest industrial group, including Dangote Sugar Refinery (the most capitalized company on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, valued at over US$3 billion with Aliko Dangote's equity topping US$2 billion), Africa's largest Cement Production Plant: Obajana Cement, Dangote Flour amongst others.

Dangote played a prominent role in the funding of Obasanjo’s re-election campaign in 2003, to which he contributed over N200 million (US$2M). He gave N50 million (US$0.5M) to the National Mosque under the aegis of "Friends of Obasanjo and Atiku", and contributed N200 million to the Presidential Library. These controversial gifts to members of the ruling People's Democratic Party have contributed to concerns over continued graft despite highly-publicized anti-corruption drives during Obasanjo's second term.^{[citation needed]}

On 23 May 2010, England's Daily Mirror newspaper reported that Dangote was interested in buying a 16 percent stake in Premiership side Arsenal belonging to Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith.^[6] Dangote later denied these rumours.^[7]

See also

• Dangote Group
• Economy of Nigeria

References

1. ^ "The World's Billionaires #51 Aliko Dangote". Forbes.com. 3, March 2011. http://www.forbes.com/profile/aliko-dangote. Retrieved 2010-04-11. 
2. ^ "Aliko Dangote: The Ultimate Volume Player". Newswatch (Lagos). 29 June 1998. http://www.newswatchngr.com/profiles/Aliko%20Dangote-Ultimate%20Player.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-02. 
3. ^ Dangote Group's Cement Operations Spans Six African Countries
4. ^ Forbes Names Dangote Richest African, This Day March 7, 2008
5. ^ Serafin, Tatiana. Forbes. http://blogs.forbes.com/tatianaserafin/2011/03/09/nigerias-billionaires-plan-to-conquer-africa/. 
6. ^ Aliko Dangote Poised To Buy Stake In English Soccer Club
7. ^ "Nigerian plays down Arsenal link". BBC News. 2010-05-24. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/8701215.stm. 

External links

• Nigerian wealth fails to trickle down
• Dangote Sugar, Most Capitalised Company
• Aliko Dangote: The Ultimate Volume Player

Persondata
Name	Dangote, Aliko
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1957-04-10
Place of birth	Kano, Nigeria
Date of death
Place of death