Aliko Dangote Biography
Aliko Dangote Biography: Aliko Dangote (born 10 April 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. He is the first man who built a private refinery in Nigeria. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated his net worth at $13.4 billion in August 2024, making him the 2nd richest black man, and the world’s 158th richest person overall.
Aliko Dangote Early Life
Aliko Dangote went to Sheikh Ali Kumasi Madrasa for his primary school studies. He then joined Capital High School in Kano. He proceeded to Government College, Birnin Kudu, and graduated in 1978. At 21, he joined the prestigious Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies and Administration.
Aliko Dangote Career
After completing his higher studies, the business magnate founded a small trading company called Dangote Group. The same year, he relocated to Lagos to expand the company. He convinced his uncle to lend him money to operate the business. He used the loan to import basic commodities from international suppliers at wholesale prices. He sold basic items like sugar, rice, and bagged cement at a lucrative markup. He used the profits to repay the loan in three months. His company thrived and became one of the largest industrial groups on the continent. It has various divisions, including Dangote Cement, Dangote Flour, and Dangote Sugar Refinery.
Dangote Sugar Refinery dominates the sugar market in Nigeria. It supplies the commodity to breweries, soft drink companies, and confectioners. The conglomerate owns salt factories and flour mills. It is a major importer of fish, pasta, rice, and fertiliser. It also exports cashew nuts, cocoa, ginger, cotton, and sesame seeds. Additionally, the conglomerate has major investments in banking, real estate, transport, oil, textiles, and gas.
The most recent venture by the conglomerate was launched in February 2022. Dangote launched a Peugeot assembling plant in Nigeria through a partnership with Stellantis Group and the Kano and Kaduna state governments. Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria Limited (DPAN) factory is located in Kaduna. It has rolled out Peugeot 5008, Peugeot 301, 3008, 508 and Land Trek model’s
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Aliko Dangote Personal Life
Dangote lives in Lagos. He owns two private jets and reportedly works 12 hours every day from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs 10 miles on a treadmill almost every day.
Dangote married Zainab Dangote in 1977, but they divorced at an unknown date. He was later married to Mariya Muhammad Rufai until their divorce, though the dates of the wedding and divorce are unknown. He has three daughters named Halima, Mariya, and Fatimah, and an adopted son named Abdulrahman. Halima followed him into the business world and is currently his company’s executive director of commercial operations.
Aliko Dangote Net worth
Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman who has a net worth of $21 billion. Aliko Dangote has, at times, been the richest person in Africa. He is currently the richest person in Nigeria, by far. He earned his net worth by founding The Dangote Group, which now controls much of Nigeria’s commodities.
