Aliko Dangote, Founder and President/Chief Executive of Dangote Group, has declared that Africa must stop being treated as a dumping ground and instead focus on job creation to unlock the continent’s full potential.
Dangote delivered this message while addressing delegates at the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings 2025 (AAM2025), which took place in Abuja on Friday.
Speaking on “The Path to Making Africa Great Again,” Dangote urged Africans to adopt the “Africa First” slogan, inspired by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
He pointed out that investing African capital within the continent is crucial, drawing lessons from Asia’s economic model. He warned that when African money flows abroad, it becomes harder to attract fresh foreign investment into the region.
“When we encourage domestic investors and they succeed, it will motivate foreign investors to come to Africa,” he stated.
For sustainable development, Dangote emphasised the need to build a strong manufacturing sector, modernise agriculture, and strengthen financial institutions.
“We need to focus on our own resources in Africa by processing our minerals on the continent.”
He explained that adding value locally would help create employment, boost economic growth, and make Africa a more appealing destination for investors.
He declared, “Africa should not be a dumping ground.”
Dangote also highlighted the challenges Nigeria faces in driving industrial growth, citing unreliable power supply and unstable government policies as major setbacks.
He commended Afreximbank’s support for the Dangote refinery project and noted that if Africa had at least ten institutions with similar capacity, the continent could see remarkable transformation within a few years.
“We are the only ones who can make Africa great.
“Yes, there will be ups and downs, but we must stay focused, and if we do, we will be successful.
“It is not just about amassing wealth but about creating worth, such as through job creation,” he said.
Outlining his future plans, Dangote revealed his ambition to become the largest urea producer globally within the next 40 months, adding that 37 percent of Dangote Fertiliser’s output is currently exported to the United States.
In response to recent U.S. bans on certain countries, he questioned the rush to leave Africa. “Why do people want to go to the U.S.? We have everything we need right here in Africa.
“Let us make Africa a productive continent because the potential for growth is significant,” he said.