I’ve lived in my current home for 36 years — Dangote

Aliko Dangote, Africa's wealthiest individual, has revealed that he has resided in his present residence for 36 years. In an interview with ARISE News, he expressed his intention to remain in the home, stating he feels comfortable there. Dangote highlighted his satisfaction with his current dwelling, adding, "Once I come in in the evening, it’s difficult to take me out of my house".

The billionaire also criticized wealthy Africans who buy private jets but lack investment in productive ventures such as factories. "What I see is people now owning aircraft all over the place, flying all over, and they don’t have one single factory," Dangote remarked. He believed such practices hinder economic growth.

Dangote's priority is leveraging his wealth to foster industrialisation across Africa, stressing that his greatest legacy would be to cultivate productive capabilities on the continent. He noted that foreign investors are showing growing interest in Africa, but they require large-scale investment prospects that can absorb significant capital. "Foreigners are very interested now; they want to invest in Africa, but they don’t have big-ticket items," he said.

Dangote believes that development on the continent necessitates a shift in private capital towards factories and other productive assets that can generate employment, augment manufacturing capacity, and spur broader economic expansion.