Aliko Dangote, Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group has been chosen by the editorial board and directors of online newspaper, Naija Standard in celebrating its 3rd Year Anniversary as our ‘Person of the Year 2015’.
In a press statement issued by Samson Shoaga, managing editor of the award winning newspaper in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Tuesday, December 29, 2015, he stated that this Kano state born, Africa’s richest billionaire was unanimously chosen based on his unrivaled business module in Africa, which acts as stimulant to the African economy and provides the highest job creation by any single individual in the whole of Africa.
His words: “Dangote Group is the greatest business module ever to have come out of Africa. We are happy he is a Nigerian. We have the record which shows Dangote Group as largest employer of labor and youths empowerment in the continent of Africa. This number one billionaire in Africa and 71st most powerful person in the world generates his source of income from cement, sugar and flour.
“Till date his massive investment in African countries like Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, Togo, Tanzania, Zambia and now Zimbabwe has daily become headlines raiser in the Western media. Dangote has proven and shown that determination, hard-work, resilience, vision and consistency are the master-keys that can unlock any business opportunities,” stated Shoaga.
Our managing editor further explained that Dangote with a present real-time net worth of $15.8 billion as confirmed in the latest edition of FORBES Magazine on 29th December 2015 enters the ‘Guinness Book of Records as two-time Africa’s Richest Most Humble Billionaire in 2014 and 2015’ even without a single scandal ever on his trail; as he hires square pegs in square holes, thereby ensuring that all his employees across Africa are the best brains in the continent, thinkers always ready to think outside the box in ensuring optimal policy formulation in a team working environment devoid of rancor, arguments or misunderstanding.
According to Shoaga, to ensure no parts of this continent is missing in the Dangote Group business module of Pan Africanism: “In June, this 67th richest man in Africa launched a 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa) cement plant in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, and commissioned a $250 million factory in Cameroun. He unveiled cement factory firm in Tanzania, while he is about to make the sum of $400million available to construct cement plant in Zimbabwe which will begin during the first quarter of 2016. When completed, the plant will produce 1.5 million tonnes of cement a year.
“It is on record that in 2015 his Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement producer, launched new cement plants in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Zambia and Tanzania. In total, Dangote Cement produces more than 30 million metric tons annually, with a plan to double capacity by 2018. Dangote owns nearly 91% of publicly-traded Dangote Cement through a holding company; this percentage exceeds the 80% ownership ceiling set by the Nigerian Stock Exchange. A note in Dangote Cement’s 2014 annual report states that “controlling shareholder Dangote Industries Limited has continued to reduce its holding in Dangote Cement towards the NSE-required level of 80% or less” but Dangote doesn’t appear to have sold many shares this year.
Other companies in the Dangote Group – which is active in 15 African countries – include publicly-traded salt, sugar and flour manufacturing companies,” added Shoaga.
READ the editorial on Naija Standard: EDITORIAL ON ALIKO DANGOTE: Pillar of African Economy, Youth Empowerment, and Scandal-free Billionaire Extraordinaire
