The transition comes at a pivotal time for the Dangote Group, as the billionaire intensifies focus on his $20 billion refinery project and related industrial ventures, while his daughters assume greater strategic responsibilities in cement, sugar, and allied sectors.
A Gradual Exit, A Strategic Shift
At 68, Dangote has quietly begun retreating from direct involvement in several arms of his business. In June, he stepped down from the board of Dangote Sugar Refinery. Just weeks later, he relinquished the chairmanship of Dangote Cement—Nigeria’s largest listed company by market value—as he repositions himself to oversee the group’s refinery, fertiliser, and petrochemical initiatives.
In his place, seasoned corporate executive Emmanuel Ikazoboh, a former Ecobank Transnational chair and Dangote Cement board member since 2014, was appointed chairman.
The change coincided with the announcement of Mariya Dangote’s appointment to the Dangote Cement board, reinforcing a growing trend: the integration of the Dangote daughters into high-stakes leadership roles within the group.
Mariya Dangote: Cement, Sugar and Automotive Interests
Mariya, the eldest of the Dangote sisters, now sits on the board of Dangote Cement, joining her sister Halima in steering the group’s flagship company. She also serves as Executive Director of Operations at Dangote Sugar Refinery, a role she took on in 2022 after several years leading strategic planning, backward integration, and digital transformation efforts within the group.
With a background in business strategy and risk at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), and an MBA from Coventry University in the UK, Mariya brings both international training and internal experience to her roles. She also sits on the board of Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria, helping drive local vehicle manufacturing.
Halima Dangote: Strategic Oversight and Global Footprint
Halima Dangote, widely seen as the most publicly visible of the trio, was appointed to the Dangote Cement board in 2022 and serves as Group Executive Director at DIL. She was instrumental in reviving Dangote Flour Mills before its acquisition by Singapore’s Olam Group.
She has held executive positions at NASCON Allied Industries and now serves on its board. In 2023, she was tapped to establish and run the Dangote Family Office in Dubai—an indication of the family’s broader global financial ambitions.
Halima is also a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, overseeing the family’s philanthropic commitments.
Fatima Dangote: Commercial Strategy and Sugar Sector Reform
The youngest of the three, Fatima serves as Group Executive Director for Commercial Operations at DIL, where she oversees procurement, administration, corporate communications, and strategic sales.
She began her journey within the group as a technical specialist and executive assistant in the strategy and development unit. Fatima has played a key role in pushing for self-sufficiency in sugar production through the group’s Backward Integration Programme, aiming to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported sugar.
She has also served on the board of NASCON since 2023 and remains actively involved in the Aliko Dangote Foundation.
Dangote’s Endorsement and Legacy Planning
Aliko Dangote has openly acknowledged the significance of his daughters’ contributions to the continued success of his conglomerate. Speaking at a 2019 event, he credited his business instincts to his mother and praised his daughters’ growing leadership roles, saying:
“My three daughters, Mariya, Halima and Fatima, are all senior executives at the group, and I can tell you for a fact that they are critical to the success of our business.”
Fatima has also publicly described her father as “extremely hardworking” and demanding, especially of his children, adding that “nothing but perfection is acceptable.”
The Road Ahead: Industrial Focus and Global Expansion
With the 650,000-barrels-per-day Dangote Refinery launched in 2024, and a $2.5 billion fertiliser plant now operational, Dangote has shifted his attention toward scaling these critical industrial assets. He aims to boost refinery capacity to 700,000 barrels per day and double fertiliser output by 2028.
Plans are also underway for the construction of Nigeria’s largest deep-sea port and a $3 billion fertiliser plant in Ethiopia—key infrastructure intended to anchor the group’s export-led strategy.
As Dangote concentrates on heavy industry and global expansion, the next generation is firmly taking its place at the helm of his domestic operations—blending family stewardship with professional continuity across one of Africa’s most influential business empires.