Dangote Urges Africa to Industrialise, Strengthen Intra-Continental Trade

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has urged African nations to prioritise industrialisation, strengthen regional value chains, and deepen intra-African trade to drive sustainable growth amid global uncertainties.

Speaking at Dangote Industries Limited’s Special Day during the 4th Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Algiers, Algeria, Dangote—represented by his adviser, Engr. Ahmed Mansur—emphasised that Africa must shift from exporting raw commodities to adding value locally.

“For too long Africa’s resources have been exported in raw form with limited local processing. Industrialisation and manufacturing development are urgent to tackle rising youth unemployment and ensure inclusive growth,” he said.

Highlighting the contributions of his conglomerate, Dangote cited its cement capacity across 10 countries, a 3MMtpa urea plant that has made Nigeria a net exporter of fertiliser, and the 650,000 bpd Dangote Refinery—Africa’s largest and the world’s biggest single-train facility.

He added that improving the business environment through reforms, infrastructure, and incentives is vital to unlocking private capital.

The trade fair showcased Dangote subsidiaries including Cement, Fertiliser, Sugar, Salt, Polypropylene, and Packaging, drawing commendations from leaders such as Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, Saint Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, and Nigeria’s finance minister Wale Edun.