Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote has handed expanded leadership roles to his three daughters as part of preparations for the future of his industrial group, which aims to grow into a $100 billion business within the next four years.
According to an internal memo confirmed by a company spokesperson, Halimah, Fatima and Maria Dangote will take on broad responsibilities across key divisions of the Dangote Group, signaling a deliberate shift towards the next generation.
Fatima Dangote, the youngest, will take up a senior business role in the group's energy division, which includes its Lagos-based oil refinery. She will continue to oversee corporate communications and governance for the wider group.
Halima Dangote, who currently manages the family office in Dubai, will expand her oversight of its London operations while supporting the company's international expansion efforts.
Maria Dangote, who joined the board of Dangote Cement last July after her father retired as chairman, will now oversee the commercial strategy for the cement business. She will also be responsible for shaping the strategy for the group's food operations across all markets.
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In the memo, the company said the appointments were aimed at “empowering a new generation to take on expanded responsibilities in shaping our future.”
These changes mark a clear step forward in Dangote's succession plan, transferring more operational authority to his daughters while he retains overall strategic control. This approach reflects a broader pattern among founder-led groups globally, where leadership transitions are managed gradually through increased executive responsibility for family successors.
Dangote, 68, made his fortune through cement production, which remains the group's core business. The group has since expanded into fertiliser, oil refining and food manufacturing, making it one of Africa's most diversified industrial groups.
It plans to list both the fertilizer business and refinery on the Nigerian bourse and further expand its cement operations, which are already spread across 10 African countries.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote's net worth is estimated at $31.9 billion. His wealth increased significantly after his 650,000 barrel per day refinery in Lagos began operations. The company intends to increase refining capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, making the facility the largest in the world.
