Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has dismissed claims that his dominance across industries amounts to monopolistic practices.
Speaking in a recent interview with Bloomberg, the billionaire insisted that his business success is rooted in vision, boldness, and being the first to spot opportunities that others often overlook.
“If you are going to call first movers into business monopolists, then you will never establish a manufacturing base—or build a country,” Dangote said, stressing that his approach has always been about breaking new ground rather than shutting others out.
Dangote also reflected on the immense challenges he faced while building his landmark refinery, regarded as the largest single-train facility in the world. He revealed that the magnitude of the project forced him to step into roles that ordinarily should have been handled by others.
“No one was equipped to support such a venture, so I became my own service provider at almost every stage. Honestly, if I knew what I was going to go through, I wouldn’t have tried it,” he admitted.
Despite those struggles, the refinery has emerged as one of the most ambitious industrial projects in Africa, positioning Nigeria on a new path toward energy self-sufficiency.
Dangote’s remarks highlight his longstanding business philosophy: to take bold risks, invest heavily in local industries, and push through daunting challenges.
For him, the real advantage lies not in monopolizing markets but in pioneering ventures that many consider impossible until they succeed.
