Dangote expands daughters’ roles as succession plan accelerates

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has assigned expanded leadership roles to his three daughters as part of preparations for the future of his industrial conglomerate, which he aims to grow into a $100 billion business within the next four years.

According to an internal memo confirmed by a company spokesperson, Halima, Fatima and Mariya Dangote will take on broader responsibilities across key divisions of the Dangote Group, signalling a deliberate shift towards the next generation.

Fatima Dangote, the youngest, will assume a senior commercial role within the group’s energy division, which includes its Lagos-based oil refinery. She will continue to oversee corporate communications and administration for the wider group.

Halima Dangote, who currently manages the family office in Dubai, will extend her oversight to its London operations while supporting the company’s international expansion efforts.

Mariya Dangote, who joined the board of Dangote Cement last July following her father’s retirement as chairman, will now oversee commercial strategy for the cement business. She will also take on responsibility for shaping strategy across the group’s food operations in all markets.

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In the memo, the company said the appointments were intended to “empower a new generation to take on expanded responsibilities in shaping our future.”

The changes mark a clear step in Dangote’s succession planning, transferring more operational authority to his daughters while he retains overall strategic control. The approach reflects a wider pattern among founder-led conglomerates globally, where leadership transition is managed gradually through increased executive responsibility for family successors.

Dangote, 68, built his fortune through cement production, which remains the group’s core business. The conglomerate has since expanded into fertiliser, oil refining, and food manufacturing, making it one of Africa’s most diversified industrial groups.

He plans to list both the fertiliser business and the refinery on the Nigerian Exchange and is pursuing further expansion of his cement operations, which already span 10 African countries.

Dangote’s net worth is estimated at $31.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. His wealth increased significantly following the start of operations at his 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lagos. The company intends to increase refining capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028, positioning the facility among the largest in the world.

Oluwatosin Ogunjuyigbe is a writer and journalist who covers business, finance, technology, and the changing forces shaping Nigeria’s economy. He focuses on turning complex ideas into clear, compelling stories.

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