Aliko Dangote — Africa’s richest man

With an estimated net worth of $20.1 billion, Aliko Dangote is believed to be Africa’s richest person.

Dangote is the founder, president and CEO of Dangote Group, a Nigeria-based firm with 13 subsidiaries spread all over the country. The subsidiaries include cement, sugar, salt, flour, pasta, noodles, poly products, logistics, real estate, telecommunications, steel, oil and gas and beverages.

Dangote Group also operates in 14 African countries including Senegal, Zambia, Tanzania, South Africa, Congo (Brazzaville), Ethiopia, Cameroun, Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia and Ghana, among others.

In October 2010, Dangote Cement Plc, one of the four listed subsidiaries of the Group, made history when it became the biggest quoted company in Nigeria, following its merger with sister company Benue Cement Company Plc (BCC) and the eventual listing of the emergent company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The Dangote Group was rated among Top 40 African Challengers in 2010 by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Dangote started business in 1978 trading in rice, sugar and cement, before he ventured into full-scale manufacturing.