Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, has urged African business leaders to take the lead in transforming the continent.
Speaking at the African Renaissance Retreat in Kigali, Rwanda, Dangote emphasized the need for collective action to address Africa’s challenges and harness its growth opportunities.
“Africa is at a crucial inflection point, with the world’s youngest and fastest-growing population, rapidly expanding cities, and a growing embrace of innovation and new technologies, including Artificial Intelligence,” said Aliko Dangote.
Dangote highlighted Africa’s youthful population, abundant resources, and rapidly expanding cities as key drivers of growth.
“We have 30% of the world’s mineral reserves, 65% of the world’s arable land, and 10% of the planet’s internal renewable freshwater sources.
Together, these present a myriad of opportunities for robust, inclusive growth that harness our abundant human potential and natural resources to increase prosperity, not just in Africa but across the globe,” he added.
Dangote noted that despite dealing with multiple barriers, the Dangote Group has expanded from Nigeria to 14 countries across the continent, spanning multiple sectors.
“The good news is that despite these challenges, we have succeeded in building a pan-African Group that employs over 50,000 people and generates revenues that should exceed $30bn by the end of 2025,” he said.
“We are coming together not just as leaders in our respective institutions but as visionaries and catalysts for transforming our societies. It is our collective responsibility to play our role in transforming our continent. Nobody will do it for us but us – especially us in this room,” Dangote emphasized.
Dangote initiated the retreat to bring together African business leaders to address challenges such as conflicts, energy and food security, supply chain disruptions, debt crises, and access to funding, Identify concrete solutions, showcase Africa as a viable investment destination, and align on a common narrative for development.
Dangote emphasized the need for leaders to move beyond dialogue to decisive implementation and tangible impact. He urged participants to:
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Engage in regular high-level dialogue
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Support the ratification of the free movement of people protocol
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Launch the African Renaissance Companies Gender Compact
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Convene top global business leaders of African descent
Other participants at the retreat included Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations; Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export-Import Bank; former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; and Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairperson of Global Infrastructure Partners, among others.
“We need to take ownership of our development and shape our narrative,” said former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
“We need to move beyond dialogue to decisive implementation and tangible impact,” added Dangote.
The retreat resulted in proposals to reduce logistics costs, ensure internet access, and champion initiatives aimed at significantly shaping Africa’s future and benefiting its people.
