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The richest black person in the world, Aliko Dangote said on Thursday that Africa has the potential to become “heaven” within five years if the continent embraces the right policies, investments, and leadership.
Speaking at the Africa Investment Forum in Lagos, Dangote, Africa’s richest man, said the continent must prioritize industrialization, infrastructure development, and regional integration to unlock its full economic potential.
“Africa is not poor. Africa is poorly managed,” Dangote said during a panel discussion. “With discipline, vision, and collaboration, we can turn this continent into heaven in the next five years.”
Dangote, whose conglomerate spans cement, agriculture, and oil refining, said regional trade barriers and weak logistics continue to limit growth across African markets. He urged governments to fully implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and support private sector-led development.
The 67-year-old Nigerian industrialist has long advocated for African self-sufficiency. His 650,000 barrels-per-day oil refinery, recently commissioned in Nigeria, is seen as a major step toward reducing the continent’s reliance on imported petroleum products.
“We need to manufacture what we consume and create jobs for our youth. The opportunity is enormous, but the window is closing,” he said.
Dangote’s remarks drew both praise and skepticism on social media, with some describing the five-year timeline as overly ambitious given ongoing challenges in governance, security, and infrastructure across the region.
Africa’s population is expected to reach nearly 1.7 billion by 2030, with the continent projected to account for over 40% of the global workforce by 2100, according to the United Nations.
Dangote said failure to act now would lead to missed opportunities for future generations.
He further remarked that the future is in the hands of Africans and no one will develop Africa for Africans except Africans themselves.
By; Kabuubi Ronald