Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, has officially retired as Chairman and Director of the Board of Dangote Cement, effective July 25, 2025. This move allows him to dedicate more attention to other key Dangote Group ventures, particularly the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, petrochemicals, fertilizer projects, and government relations to enhance the company’s broader growth trajectory.
Dangote’s tenure at Dangote Cement transformed the company into Africa’s largest cement producer and a leading exporter in Sub-Saharan Africa. Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement expanded its capacity to 52 million tonnes per annum (Mta) across the continent, with Nigeria alone contributing 35.25 Mta. Additional greenfield plants in Côte d’Ivoire (3.0 Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 Mta), are set to come online this year, pushing total capacity to 61.0 Mta.
Financially, the company recorded a remarkable first half of 2025, with revenue increasing 17.7% to ₦2.07 trillion (up from ₦1.76 trillion in 2024) and EBITDA surging 41.8% to ₦945 billion. Profit before tax more than doubled, rising 149% to ₦730 billion, and profit after tax soared by 174%, reaching ₦520.5 billion. Dangote Cement also increased clinker exports to Ghana and Cameroon by over 18%, underlining its dominant market position.
Following Dangote’s retirement, Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director and former group chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc., was appointed as the new chairman of Dangote Cement. Ikazoboh has pledged to implement cost-reduction strategies and accelerate efforts to adopt alternative fuels and technologies, aiming for sustainability and enhanced competitiveness.
Dangote's retirement marks the end of an era defined by ambitious industrialization and job creation, leaving a lasting legacy of significant infrastructure and Africa’s self-sufficiency in cement production.
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