Aliko Dangote.

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. A wealthy supporter of erstwhile President Olusegun Obasanjo and the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP), Dangote controls much of Nigeria's commodities trade through his corporate and political connections. 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.)

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. Dangote later denied these rumours.

Dangote Group.

The Dangote Group is currently the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa and one of the largest in Africa. It generated revenue in excess of US$1.25 billion 2005. The group is one of the leading diversified business conglomerates in Africa. It employs in excess of 11,000 people.

Overview

The Dangote Group is a diversified conglomerate, headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with interests across a range of sectors in Africa. Current interests include cement, sugar, flour, salt, pasta, beverages and real estate, with new projects in development in the oil and Natural gas, telecommunications, fertilizer and steel. The Group focuses on provision of local, value-added products and services that meet the needs of the African population. Dangote Cement, the largest cement production company in Africa, with a market capitalization of almost US$14 billion on the Nigeria Stock Exchange, has subsidiaries in Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia.^[2] In December 2010, the group signed an agreement with the Government of Zambia to construct a US$400 million cement plant in Zambia. Once completed in June 2013, as anticipated, the new plant is expected to have an annual output of 1.5 million metric tonnes of cement.

Subsidiary companies.

The Dangote Group includes the following subsidiaries, among others:

1. ALCO International Limited
2. Dangote Nigeria Limited
3. Dangote Transport Limited
4. Dangote Cement Plc. - Listed on Nigeria Stock Exchange
5. National Salt Company of Nigeria Plc. - Listed on Nigeria Stock Exchange
6. Dangote Flour Mills Plc. - Listed on Nigeria Stock Exchange
7. Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc. - Listed on Nigeria Stock Exchange
8. Dangote Oil & Gas Industries International
9. Dangote Textiles Limited
10. Dangote Holdings Limited
11. Blue Star Limited
12. Dansa Foods Limited
13. Dansa Food Processing Limited
14. Dancom Technologies
15. GreenView International Company Limited - Has invested US$28+ million in cement factory in Ghana.
16. Sephaku Cement Limited - Dangote Group has 64% shareholding in this South African cement company.
17. Alheri Engineering Limited
18. Kura Holdings Limited