- Obasanjo has shared how he supported billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote in building his cement empire.
- Speaking at the Bauchi State Economic and Investment Summit, Obasanjo said he created a conducive environment for Dangote’s business to thrive and personally monitored his cement project’s progress.
- He recounted taking Dangote to countries like Tanzania and Senegal to expand his ventures, emphasizing that his support was driven by national interest.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed how he helped Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, succeed in business.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Bauchi State Economic and Investment Summit, Obasanjo said he created an enabling environment for Dangote to establish his cement factory in Nigeria and personally took him to countries like Tanzania and Senegal to expand his business.
He emphasized the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors for national development.
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He said: “So Aliko then planned to produce 5 million tons of cement a year. Since we started producing cement in 1956 up to 2003, we’ve never produced 5 million tons.
“So when Aliko made that projection, the people in the ministry said he was telling a lie. He wants to be making it up. I said alright, let’s see how his lie will work.
“So I put two people on Aliko’s construction site and they are reporting to me every day. The day Aliko the contractor did not work, they will phone and tell me. And I will immediately phone Aliko.
“So one day Aliko came to me and said, Mr. President, I’m getting worried about you. I said what have I done? He said you know about this cement project more than myself. And it is not a government project. I’m getting worried about you. I said my brother Aliko, this is a Nigerian project. So anything Nigerian is a government project.
“Not only did Aliko succeed in the first 5 million, he succeeded in the second 5 million. He succeeded in the third 5 million. I started taking him out to other countries in Africa.
“I took him to Tanzania. I took him to Senegal. That’s how Aliko made it. Partnership between the private and the public. Partnership between leadership at every level.”
