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FAMILY TIES: 3 Dangote Daughters Take Over Companies As Billionaire Tycoon Steps Back

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Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s most prominent businessman and Africa’s richest individual, has increasingly involved his three daughters in his business empire – a move seen as both a sign of succession planning and a commitment to family legacy.

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, estimated by Bloomberg to be worth $28.5bn as of 28 July, has quietly begun stepping back from boardroom duties.

In June, the 68-year-old businessman retired from the board of Dangote Sugar Refinery.

Last Friday, he also stepped down as chairman of Dangote Cement, the crown jewel of his conglomerate, before the launch of his $20bn oil refinery.

He has been replaced at Dangote Cement by Emmanuel Ikazoboh, a former chair of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, who joined the cement group in 2014.

Mariya Dangote – Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar, DPAN
His eldest daughter, Mariya Dangote, has now joined the board of Dangote Cement. According to a company statement, her appointment is intended to help the business remain “agile and well positioned for long-term value creation”. Her “cross-functional expertise and understanding of strategic operations” were cited as key assets.

Mariya became executive director of operations at Dangote Sugar Refinery in 2022, after overseeing strategic planning, backward integration projects and digital transformation efforts since 2019. She had previously worked as a business strategy and risk specialist at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), the group’s holding company, joining in 2016 shortly after completing an MBA at Coventry University in the UK.

She also serves on the board of Dangote Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria, which manufactures and markets Peugeot vehicles locally.

With Mariya’s appointment, two of Dangote’s daughters now sit on the board of Dangote Cement, Nigeria’s third-largest listed company, valued at N8.34trn ($5.4bn) as of 28 July.

Halima – Dangote Cement, DIL, NASCON, Family Office
Halima Dangote was appointed to the Dangote Cement board in early 2022, shortly after the death of her uncle, Sani Dangote, who also served as vice president of DIL. She has been a group executive director at DIL since 2019 and previously led a turnaround at Dangote Flour Mills, culminating in its sale to Singapore’s Olam Group.

Between 2014 and 2016, she was an executive director at NASCON Allied Industries, another DIL subsidiary, and continues to sit on its board in a non-executive capacity.

In 2023, Halima was tasked with establishing and running the Dangote Family Office in Dubai. She is also a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the group’s philanthropic arm.

Fatima – DIL, NASCON
Fatima Dangote, the youngest of the three, is group executive director for commercial operations at DIL. She oversees commercial strategy, communications, procurement and administration across the group. Earlier roles included working as a technical specialist in the strategy unit and as an executive assistant to the director of business development and portfolio management.

Speaking to The Africa Report last year, she underlined Dangote Industries’ push to domesticate sugar production. “Nigeria is importing 90% of the sugar requirement. The homegrown sugar is still less than 10%,” she said. “However, with the aggressive implementation of the Backward Integration Programme, Dangote will be able to reduce its dependence on imports soon.”

She has sat on the board of NASCON Allied Industries since 2023 and previously served as executive director from 2016, during which she oversaw the company’s commercial sales, marketing, logistics and branding strategies.

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 is also closely involved with the Aliko Dangote Foundation and regularly appears alongside her father at public events. In a CNN interview last year, she described him as “extremely hardworking”.

Asked whether he was demanding as a parent, she replied: “A bit hard. I think he expects so much more from us compared to other people, and when you have a father like him, nothing but perfection is acceptable, then you have to work extra…”

Expansion continues across core sectors
While stepping back from the cement business, Dangote has signalled a renewed focus on his group’s energy and industrial ventures. The conglomerate has recently launched a $2.5bn fertiliser plant in Lagos and brought its 650,000-barrels-per-day refinery in 2024. Last November, it reopened its tomato processing plant in Kano.

In a statement, DIL said Dangote would now concentrate on the refinery, fertiliser and petrochemical operations, as well as on government relations.

Earlier this month, he announced plans to more than double output at the fertiliser plant by 2028 and to boost refinery capacity to 700,000 barrels per day. He also revealed plans to develop what he described as “Nigeria’s largest deep-sea port” to support exports of the group’s energy and industrial products, adding that the new port would “become an anchor for our liquefied natural gas, fertilisers and fuels”.

Outside Nigeria, DIL has signed a $3bn agreement with the Ethiopian government to build a fertiliser plant in Gode, in the Somali Region.

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‘They are critical to the success of our business’
At a 2019 event in Lagos, Dangote highlighted the contribution of his daughters to the group.

He credited his entrepreneurial outlook to his mother, whom he described as “a strong business-minded woman” who nurtured his ambition. “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,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

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After Petrol, Dangote Refinery Slashes Cooking Gas Price Lowest In Nigeria [Price Per State Emerges]

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Africa’s largest refinery, Dangote Refinery, has slashed the price of liquified natural gas (LPG), also known as cooking gas to the lowest in 2025, a few hours after cutting petrol rate, a move that has sent joy to Nigerian households.

This move came barely 24 hours after the refinery reduced its petrol prices to N820 per litre from N854.

Checks showed Dangote Refinery lowered the cooking gas price, easing hardship for Nigerians.

Checks by Legit on petroleumpriceng’s price data show that the refinery slashed the LPG price to N740 per kg, the lowest among depot operators and cheapest in Nigeria.

The latest price is also the cheapest the refinery has sold cooking gas in 2025 after rates jumped above N1,000 per kilogramme.

Experts have hailed the move as exemplary, urging other operators to follow suit. They also attributed the latest price cut to the declining crude oil prices in the international market.

Where it’s cheapest and costliest

Oyo, Plateau, and Yobe currently offer the lowest 5kg refill costs at ₦7,100, ₦7,200, and ₦7,600, respectively. For the 12.5kg size, Yobe leads with ₦19,000, followed by Niger (₦19,242.48) and Jigawa (₦20,025.94).

At the other extreme, the South-South zone records the highest average: ₦8,871.63 for a 5kg cylinder and ₦22,179.08 for a 12.5kg refill. In contrast, the South-West pays the least regionally—₦7,960.42 and ₦20,402.42, respectively.

A reversal of fortune for Nigerians
This development came after Legit.ng reported that cooking gas prices are on the rise again.

For the fifth straight month, cooking gas prices in Nigeria have risen, tightening the squeeze on household budgets.

According to fresh data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), refilling a 5kg cylinder now costs ₦8,323.95—up 1.92% from May’s ₦8,167.43 and a hefty 19.49% more than in June 2024.

The pain is sharper for larger households. A 12.5kg cylinder refill now costs an average of ₦21,010.56, marking a 1.46% rise from May and a staggering 33.52% jump compared to last year’s ₦15,736.27.

Crude oil prices slump
“International crude oil price is a great factor in setting petroleum product prices globally,” energy analyst and Team Lead at Platforms Africa, Adeola Yusuf, said.

According to him, falling crude prices mean falling petroleum product prices, and vice versa. Findings show that Brent Crude slumped 0.66% on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, to sell at $65.46 per barrel.

WTI fell 0.75% to sell for $62.35 per barrel, while Murban Crude sold for $67.52 per barrel, recording a 0.89% decline.

Why the surge won’t stop
Despite being Africa’s largest oil producer, Nigeria imports much of its cooking gas.

This dependence makes local prices vulnerable to swings in the global market. Disruptions in supply chains, increased global demand, and geopolitical tensions have driven up costs worldwide.

The naira’s persistent weakness worsens the situation, as importers pay more to secure foreign exchange, passing the burden to consumers.

 

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Fuel Scarcity: Petrol Price Rises Above N1,500 As Marketers Shut Filling Stations To Support Strike

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A litre of petrol is selling for as high as N1,700 as fuel scarcity has hit residents of Benue state following the petrol tankers’ protest over unfulfilled compensation

Several filling stations are closed, and black market operators have taken advantage of the situation to hike prices

The sudden shutdown has sent petrol prices skyrocketing to hit new levels as black market operators have taken advantage of the situation.

The state governor has pleaded with the petrol tankers to suspend their strike and return to work.

Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is currently on a 3-day warning strike in Benue state.

In solidarity, petrol station owners in the state shut their doors.

The sudden shutdown has sent petrol prices skyrocketing to hit new levels as black market operators have taken advantage of the situation.

Vanguard reports that desperate motorists and commercial motorcycle operators who have been left stranded are resorting to black market operators who are selling petrol for as high as N1,700 perlitre.

Prices vary depending on the location within the town, with some areas seeing prices at N1,600.

The price is a massive N775 difference when compared to N945 it was sold before the showdown.

According to a member of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Benue State, who was quoted in the report said the strike action was taken following unresolved grievances.

“A few years ago, youths attacked a etrol-laden truck on the Makurdi-Aliade road and siphoned its contents. Promises of ompensation by the former administration were never fulfilled.”

He added that efforts by NUPENG and IPMAN to engage the current administration for redress reportedly met with resistance, prompting the decision for a warning strike.

All fuel station managers were instructed to cease operations during this period. “Heavy penalties of up to N500,000 were threatened for non-compliance, leaving no stations perational.”

Meanwhile, the Benue State Government has urged NUPENG to call off the strike, noting that the strike was uncalled for.

Deborah Aber, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), stated that the government received a letter from NUPENG requesting payment of over N40 million as compensation for the vandalised PMS tank in 2022.

“In the letter, they were asking for payment for their 45,000 litres of PMS they lost through the activities of vandals in 2022 at Aliade.

“We needed to sit down and look at the whole scenario and how it played out. To us, it seemed like a straightforward case of theft and vandalism, with no government involvement.

“We have held several meetings with them. Surprisingly, we woke up today to find that the stations were locked. The government too is surprised because we are still. t the discussion at table.

“When we received the letter, we wrote to the police and DSS to furnish us with what happened that time.

In the letter they were claiming payment of over N40m for the loss of their goods in 2022.”

NNPC increase petrol prices
The new price follows changes announced by petrol importers and the Dangote Refinery amid the global oil price increase

NNPC Limited retail outlets are now selling nigher rate than the rate offered by Dangote refinery partners.

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What God Showed Me About NNPC GMG Ojulari -Primate Ayodele Reveals

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Spiritual leader and founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has sounded an alarm over impending challenges for a top executive at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), warning that powerful cabals are working behind the scenes to frustrate and destabilize him.

In a recent video prophetic message from 00:02:07, Ayodele revealed that the General Managing Director (GMG) of NNPC is facing spiritual and political sabotage that could lead to serious complications in the months ahead.

Saboteurs Hinder Transformation, Says NNPCL Management

“NNPC GMG—the problem has just started,” the cleric declared. “They want to frustrate him. Frustrate him. Because there are cabals that have tied his life.”

Ayodele explained that these internal forces are not just opposing the GMG’s reforms or leadership style, but are spiritually plotting to discredit and dismantle his influence. According to the prophet, these groups are determined to undermine the GMG’s success and force him into conflict and confusion within the organization.

“If he’s not careful, they will create commotion for him,” Ayodele warned. “They are not just fighting his position; they are fighting his peace and his purpose.”

The renowned prophet called on the GMG to be prayerful and spiritually alert, urging him not to rely solely on political loyalty or official power to withstand the coming storm. He emphasized that the battle was more spiritual than administrative.

“This is a time to seek divine protection and guidance,” Ayodele advised. “Those around him are not all loyal. Some are pretending while planning his fall.”

Ayodele’s message adds to growing concerns about internal politics and power struggles within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, especially as the government pushes for reforms, transparency, and accountability at the NNPC.

Though the cleric did not mention a specific name, his warning has sparked speculation about tensions within the corporation and what steps leadership must take to avoid disruption.

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