Dangote says owning houses in the US, UK will distract him

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has explained why he does not have houses in the US and UK, the preferred choice of most Nigerian billionaires with a knack for property acquisition.

 

 

For Dangote, having houses in London or the United States of America would distract him from his focus on making Nigeria a hallmark of industrialisation.

 

The billionaire stated this while speaking to journalists at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.

 

He said, “The reason I don’t have a London or American house is solely because I wanted to focus on industrialisation in Nigeria.

 

 

“I figured that if I had those houses, there would be one reason or the other for me to visit those places, thereby causing distraction for me.

 

“I am very passionate about the Nigerian dream, and apart from my Lagos house, I have another one in my home state, Kano, and a rented one in Abuja.”

 

In her remarks, the Group Executive Director, Commercial Operations, Fatima Dangote, praised her father’s diligence and perseverance in achieving the Nigerian dream.

 

 

Fatima stated, “I have not seen anyone as hardworking as my father. Sometimes I wonder how he never gives up.

 

“I wish we had a few more men like my father in Nigeria. The country will be a better place.”

 

Earlier, the group CEO disclosed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation now owns only a 7.2 per cent stake in the refinery.

 

He said the figure reduced from the initial 20 per cent, saying, “NNPC no longer owns a 20% stake in the Dangote refinery. They were met to pay their balance in June but have not fulfilled the obligations. Now, they only own a 7.2% stake in the refinery.”