Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has recently shared candid insights into his family background, early life struggles, and the journey that led him to build one of Africa’s largest business empires from the ground up.
In an in-depth interview, Dangote recounted that although he comes from a lineage with a history of wealth and influence, he personally charted his path to success without relying on inherited riches. He emphasized that all his accomplishments were self-made, underscoring his pride in building a vast business empire from scratch rather than benefiting from his family’s wealth.
He elaborated on his family’s legacy, noting, “I came from a wealthy family. My late great-grandfather in the 1940s was the richest, you know, in West Africa. My late grandfather was one of the wealthiest Nigerians. The family name is Dentata—that’s from my maternal side. My father too was fairly rich, you know, involved both in business and politics.”
However, Dangote clarified, “One thing that I’m very, very proud of is that I did not inherit any money from my father. I built everything from scratch to where I am today. Whatever I inherited from him in terms of assets, I donated to charity. I wanted to ensure that my success was entirely self-made.”
He further shared how he began his career working briefly with his uncle before moving to Lagos to start his own business. “I started with a very simple venture—buying cement and selling it. It was a low-key business at first. But when you look at cement, cement builds infrastructure, and there is a huge infrastructural deficit across Africa, especially in Nigeria. At the time, most cement was imported, so we saw a huge opportunity and went into production. It has been a long journey, but that’s how we built the business from the ground up,” Dangote explained.
Reflecting on his journey, he highlighted the importance of seizing opportunities and creating solutions to societal needs rather than relying solely on family legacy. Dangote’s story is a testament to resilience, entrepreneurship, and vision, demonstrating that wealth can be built through strategic initiative and determination, even when starting from scratch.
Watch video below for more insights from Dangote …
“I did not inherit any money from my father. I built everything from scratch to where I am.” – Aliko Dangote pic.twitter.com/oBbiK9wRiw
— Oyindamola🙄 (@dammiedammie35) September 2, 2025