BREAKING: Aliko Dangote Retires from Dangote Cement to Focus Fully on Refinery Megaproject
In a landmark shift that signals a new phase for Nigeria’s industrial landscape, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and the Nigerian billionaire industrialist, has officially retired as Chairman and Director of Dangote Cement Plc. This move allows him to fully concentrate on the operational expansion and strategic oversight of the Dangote Refinery—a $20 billion facility positioned to transform Nigeria into a global energy powerhouse.
Leadership Transition Marks a New Chapter for Dangote Cement
The announcement, made on July 25, 2025, was confirmed in a corporate disclosure signed by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief Branding & Communications Officer. According to the statement, Dangote’s decision aligns with the Dangote Group’s five-year strategic growth plan. The company also announced that Emmanuel Ikazoboh, a respected independent non-executive director, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Board. In addition, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote, Dangote’s daughter, has joined the board as a director, while Professor Dorothy Ufot has stepped down.
This high-profile leadership change has generated widespread attention in the business world, as it marks a significant point in Dangote Cement news and reinforces the Group’s commitment to corporate governance and long-term succession planning.
Strong Financial Performance Reflects Dangote Cement’s Market Dominance
Despite the leadership transition, Dangote Cement Plc remains Africa’s largest cement producer and one of the most valuable companies on the continent. In the first half of 2025, the company reported stellar financial results:
Group revenue surged 17.7 percent, reaching ₦2.07 trillion, up from ₦1.76 trillion in H1 2024
EBITDA rose by 41.8 percent to ₦944.9 billion
Profit before tax increased by 149 percent to ₦730 billion
Profit after tax jumped 174 percent to ₦520.5 billion
The Nigeria segment’s EBITDA alone rose by 82.4 percent to ₦845.4 billion
Export volumes from Nigeria rose by 18.2 percent, reflecting increased clinker shipments to Ghana and Cameroon
With installed production capacity at 52 million tonnes per annum across Africa and major new plants under construction in Côte d'Ivoire (3.0 MTPA) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 MTPA), Dangote Cement is on course to hit 61 million MTPA by the end of 2025.
These numbers affirm the company’s financial strength and continued dominance in the construction and infrastructure sectors across Africa.
Dangote Refinery Update: A New Industrial Frontier
With his retirement from Dangote Cement, Aliko Dangote will now devote his time and expertise to expanding the Dangote Refinery, Nigeria’s most ambitious private industrial project. Located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, the refinery is already being hailed as the largest refinery in Africa and the largest single-train refinery in the world, with a Dangote refinery capacity of up to 650,000 barrels per day.
The refinery received its first crude shipment of one million barrels in December 2023 and began producing diesel and aviation fuel by early January 2024. Plans are underway to scale production to 500,000 barrels per day, with crude supplies sourced both locally and through imports from the United States due to domestic supply constraints.
Built to meet Euro-V fuel specifications, the facility is expected to drastically reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported refined products and unlock energy self-sufficiency in Nigeria. It also includes a large petrochemical complex and fertiliser plant, all of which align with Dangote’s broader vision of industrial transformation in Africa.
What This Means for Nigeria and Africa
Aliko Dangote’s pivot from cement to energy marks a historic shift not just for his conglomerate but for the Nigerian economy as a whole. The full-scale operation of the Dangote Refinery is projected to save Nigeria billions in fuel imports, boost exports of refined products, and create hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
This transition also repositions Nigeria on the global industrial map, allowing the country to benefit from value-added refining rather than merely exporting crude oil. In doing so, Dangote is effectively turning Nigeria into a regional refining hub with the potential to serve West Africa and beyond.
Final Thoughts: From Building Materials to Building Nations
Aliko Dangote’s retirement from Dangote Cement underscores his long-standing commitment to building Africa’s future through industrial self-reliance. Having cemented his legacy in the construction materials sector, the Nigerian billionaire industrialist now aims to revolutionize the continent’s energy sector.
With Dangote Group leadership changes in place and the refinery nearing full operational capacity, the next few years are poised to define a new economic era for Nigeria. The world is watching as Dangote shifts his focus from concrete to crude, a move that could shape the destiny of Africa’s most populous nation for decades to come.
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