Alhaji Akiko Dangote.
(C) Google.
– Emmanuel Ikazoboh Appointed New Board Chairman
.
Aliko Dangote, Africa’s most prominent entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, has retired as Chairman and Director of the company’s Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025.
The announcement was confirmed by Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief, Branding & Communications Officer of Dangote Industries Limited, in a statement issued on Friday.
According to Chiejina, Dangote stepped down to dedicate greater attention to the operations and strategic direction of the Dangote Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser units, and Government Relations, in line with the group’s five-year growth agenda.
Following his departure, the Board has appointed Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an Independent Non-Executive Director, as the new Chairman of the Board.
In a related development, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote has joined the Board, while Prof. Dorothy Ufot has stepped down.
Aliko Dangote’s leadership leaves behind a remarkable legacy.
He redefined the cement industry across Africa, transforming Dangote Cement Plc into the continent’s largest cement producer and the biggest exporter of cement and clinker in Sub-Saharan Africa.
With production capacity reaching 52 million metric tonnes per annum (Mta) across the continent,including 35.25Mta from Nigeria alone,the company is still expanding, with new greenfield plants under development in Côte d’Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0Mta), projected to raise total capacity to 61.0Mta.
Under Dangote’s visionary leadership, the company achieved record-breaking financial results. For the six-month period ending June 30, 2025, unaudited reports show:
Revenue: N2.071 trillion (up 17.7% from N1.76 trillion in 2024)
Group EBITDA: N944.9 billion (up 41.8% from N666.22 billion)
EBITDA from Nigerian operations: Up 82.4% to N845.4 billion
Profit Before Tax: N730 billion (up 149%)
Profit After Tax: N520.5 billion (up 174.1%)
Export volumes from Nigeria rose by 18.2%, with 18 successful clinker shipments to Ghana and Cameroon in the six-month period.
Dangote’s tenure also marked tremendous national impact—subsidiaries under the Dangote Group reportedly paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it Nigeria’s highest taxpayer.
In his acceptance speech, Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh expressed deep appreciation for the appointment, pledging to uphold the company’s core values of innovation, excellence, and sustainable growth.
“My vision for Dangote Cement Plc is anchored on operational excellence, strategic expansion, sustainability, innovation, and community engagement,” he stated.
Ikazoboh revealed his plans to:
Introduce cost-reduction strategies to counter inflationary trends
Accelerate the use of alternative fuels and green technologies
Promote staff development through training and capacity building
Describing the company as a beacon of African enterprise, he reaffirmed Dangote Cement’s commitment to driving economic development across the continent.
Ikazoboh brings with him extensive experience in finance, governance, and corporate restructuring.
He previously served as Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc. and held leadership positions within Deloitte’s West and Central Africa operations.
In 2010, he was appointed by Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Interim Administrator to reform the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS).
Aliko Dangote’s retirement marks the end of an era in African industrial history but signals a new chapter for Dangote Cement Plc under Ikazoboh’s leadership.
With bold strategies in place, the company is poised to consolidate its dominance and pursue even greater regional impact.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
