Senegal: Billionaire Industrialist, Aliko Dangote Bags Country’s Highest Honour, National Order of the Lion

In recognition and appreciation of the services that billionaire businessman and industrialist, Aliko Dangote, had rendered to the Republic of Senegal as well as a tribute to his business acumen, philanthropy, and developmental projects, which are capable of transforming Africa as a whole, the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, on behalf of the government and people of Senegal, has bestowed the country’s highest honour due a civilian on the President/CEO, Dangote Group.

Dangote, at an elaborate ceremony on Friday, was conferred with the prestigious award of the National Order of the Lion by President Macky Sall of the Republic of Senegal.

According to statement earlier issued on Thursday, the National Order of the Lion Award is the highest civilian laurel to be bestowed on any individual in Senegal, and it will be recalled that the Dangote Group has a Cement Plant in Pout, Senegal, from where it positively affects the Senegalese people and economy.

The National Order of the Lion is an Order from Senegal instituted on October 22, 1960, and awarded for both civil and military distinguished contributions. It is one of the two Senegalese National Orders – the other one being the Order of Merit.

Dangote is not new to receiving high honours in countries. He was also recently conferred with the Commander of the Order of Merit of Niger award by Mohamed Bazoum, the then President of the Republic of Niger, in Niamey.

Also, Dangote bagged Nigeria’s second highest national honour, Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), after the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic. The GCFR is an award reserved only for Nigerian Presidents and Heads of State. But Dangote became one of the first individuals outside government to receive GCON national honor. The GCON honour has only been awarded to Vice-Presidents, Chief Justices of the country, and Senate Presidents.

Consequently, encomiums have continued to pour out for the man of means, whose singular effort has created thousands of jobs for Africans across the continent.

Among the early callers to celebrate with Dangote on the lofty height is President Bola Tinubu, who rejoiced with the A-list entrepreneur.

President Tinubu, according to a release issued by his Media Adviser, Ajuri Ngelale, hailed the industrialist for his enterprise and ingenuity.

He praised Dangote for creating jobs and opportunities for many in Nigeria and across West Africa, as well as contributing to their economies, which he said the award further affirms. Tinubu further commended Dangote and wished him the very best in his various other endeavours.

The Speaker of the House of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, also felicitated with the President, Dangote Group.on the latest achievement.

Abbas noted that the Senegal’s highest national honour bestowed on Dangote was a testimony of his attributes as a worthy business ambassador of not just Nigeria but the entire African continent.

“The recognition showed Senegal’s appreciation of the fact that Alhaji Aliko Dangote is not just a business mogul but an outstanding industrialist with a far-reaching impact both within and outside his country of origin, Nigeria.

“I applaud Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his industry, enterprise and commitment to creating jobs and economic opportunities for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria and across Africa, as well as contributing to their economies, which this honour further affirms.

“These impacts have provided the needed shock absorbers for individuals and families as a buffer complementing socioeconomic drive of governments in the subregion,” the Speaker said.

Abbas further noted that “I, therefore, congratulate Alhaji Dangote for this honour and recognition, and wish him the very best in his endeavours.”

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, was not left out in the avalanche of felicitations trailing the honour.

Kalu, who admitted that the honour is awarded to certain individuals in recognition of their outstanding feats and contributions to Senegalese national development, noted in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Levinus Nwabughiogu, that the conferment of the country’s highest national award on Dangote was a testament to his industrial spirit and entrepreneurial sagacity.

Describing Dangote as Africa’s foremost industrialist, Hon. Kalu lauded his commitment to job creation and employments beyond the shores of Nigeria, stressing that the entrepreneur has through his largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa contributed immensely to the economic growth and development of many countries.

“The award was deserving,” Kalu noted.

The Deputy Speaker who also recalled Dangote’s contributions during the unveiling of Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) in December, 2023, applauded the patriotic spirit of the businessman, urging him not to be weary in his philanthropic gestures.

THE MAN, ALIKO DANGOTE

For the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and his multifaceted group, playing second fiddle has never been an option. Both the enterprise and the entrepreneur have maintained market leadership to the extent that Dangote himself has appropriated the richest man in Africa status to himself, and has hardworkingly sustained the tag for as long as anyone can remember.

Since 2014, when Forbes magazine named him the world’s 23rd billionaire, jumping 20 spots on the scale from his previous 43rd position among the elite club of the world’s richest people, Dangote has not looked back, winning back to back the accolade among African billionaires, and never slipping from the world ranking, except for a few weeks, when a South African billionaire in the second place, made an attempt.

Dangote is a businessman, who understands that no man rest on his oars if turnovers have to continue to turn over. With marked differentiation, he has demystified the business terrain, and proved that if it can be done, then it must done. His establishment of the humongous fertilizer and sugar plants and the ambitious refinery in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria, are testimonies of the trajectory of one who knows his onions.

• Worth $19.8 by the last Forbes ranking, which sustained him as the richest man in African, the entrepreneur extraordinaire has the following to his name:

• Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, founded and chairs Dangote Cement, the continent’s largest cement producer.

• He owns 85% of publicly-traded Dangote Cement through a holding company.

• Dangote Cement has the capacity to produce 48.6 million metric tons annually and has operations in 10 countries across Africa.

• After many years in development, Dangote’s fertilizer plant in Nigeria began operations in mid-2021.

• Dangote Refinery has been under construction since 2016 and is expected to be one of the world’s largest oil refineries once complete.

The above and many has remained the factors that have made it easy for the billionaire to remain in the top echelon of world’s money men, and the supremo among African businessmen. Like wonder, he is one of the few recipients of the GCON national honours reserved for top politicians of vice president ranking and top government appointees. He has never been any of the above.

In 2021 when his 3.0 million metric tonnes of Urea per annum Dangote Fertiliser Plant, sited at the Dangote Industries Free Zone, Ibeju Lekki, was commissioned. During his speech, at The Fertiliser Complex, which occupies 500 hectares, and built at a cost of $2.5 Billion, Dangote said in part:

“…Our goal is to make fertiliser available in sufficient quantities and quality for our teeming farmers assuring greater agricultural output. To help realise this potential, we are rolling out initiatives that will transform the agricultural sector, including extension services for small and medium scale farmers. We have also established well-equipped soil-testing laboratories to ensure that the appropriate fertiliser blends are applied to specific soil and/or crop types. This will boost productivity, enhancing output across the Nation.

“Dangote Fertiliser will partner with key stakeholders in the industry, including Farmer Associations, NPK Blenders, NGO/Development Partners and State Governments across Nigeria, who are committed to a sustainable approach to improving soil quality and farm yields.

“Our continuous efforts to innovate, create value and invest in Nigeria are borne out of our firm belief in the vast economic potential of our dear country. This has also informed our desire to continue with our investment strategy, with a focus on driving import substitution, ensuring that we increase local production to achieve self-sufficiency, and even export excess production.”

He proved that his entrepreneurial skills are not just geared towards uplifting him as a person, but to create an enabling environment for the Nigeria youth and child to grow and develop in an environment he can proudly co-own. His vision is practically for the greater good of the world, and Nigeria in particular.

Born in Kano in 1957, Dangote proudly shuttles between three wonderful tags as the richest man in Nigeria; the richest man in Africa and the richest Black man in the world. He has paid his dues, and mankind is the better for it.

Releasing impacts, Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), the private charitable foundation of Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Incorporated in 1994, as Dangote Foundation, is saddled with the mission to enhance opportunities for social change through strategic investments that improve health and wellbeing, promote quality education, and broaden economic empowerment opportunities. 20 years later, the Foundation has become the largest private Foundation in sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest endowment by a single African donor.

The primary focus of ADF is child nutrition, with wraparound interventions centered on health, education and empowerment, and disaster relief. The Foundation also supports stand-alone projects with the potential for significant social impact.

The Foundation works with state and national governments and many highly reputable international and domestic charities, non-governmental organizations and international agencies to advance its humanitarian agenda.

In one of its biggest collaboration to date, Aliko Dangote Foundation started working in partnership with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and key northern State Governments in Nigeria from 2013 to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization in Nigeria.

Worthy of praise is the fact that nearly a decade, the Foundation has spent over N7 Billion in the course of feeding, clothing and the general welfare of the Internally Displaced Persons in the Northeast.

To make his host communities feel at ease, and the impact of his presence, Dangote embarked on an initiative to provide further support to improving educational systems in Ibeju-Lekki and Epe locality. The educational support initiative is a tripartite programme consisting of scholarship, capacity building for teachers and school infrastructure projects.

Additionally, Scholarships were awarded to 52 secondary school students whilst some financial support was provided to their parents and/or guardians. Tertiary students will be included in the next batch of the scheme.

Furthermore, about 100 teachers, principals and school administrators were trained in teaching techniques for the 21st century. After which they were monitored in class on how they were using the skills acquired.

There is hardly any sector that has not felt the milk of human kindness running through Aliko Dangote; the military, media, politicians, governments across boards and more.

Dangote is surely an asset to this world!

As at today, there is no space for slowing down for Dangote as he continues to trudge on, creating firsts after first for himself and for humanity. He is blessed with three wonderful daughters, who have followed the rewarding footprints of entrepreneurship.