20 hours ago
Once again, Aliko Dangote has leapt over the dragon gate, this time with a bold $400 million expansion of his cement empire in Ethiopia. The Mugher cement plant was once scarred by conflict and tragedy. Now, it will double its output to five million tons annually, thus solidifying Dangote’s dominance in Africa’s construction industry.
Ethiopia hasn’t been an easy terrain to conquer. A less determined investor would have been discouraged by attacks on company property and the loss of key personnel. Not Dangote. He spots opportunities where others see roadblocks; with him, resilience, not comfort, builds empires.
This expansion isn’t just about cement; it’s about vision. With operations in 10 African countries, Dangote Cement is quietly laying the groundwork for an industrial revolution across the continent. The new investment includes a grinding unit near Addis Ababa, ensuring a steady supply for Ethiopia’s booming infrastructure demands.
But this isn’t his first bold move. Just last year, Dangote tackled Nigeria’s fuel crisis head-on with his $20 billion refinery—Africa’s largest. He broke the oil monopoly, forcing European refiners to rethink their game plan. While others hesitated, he went all in, calling it the biggest risk of his life.
The refinery is not only up and running, but slowly transforming Nigeria’s energy landscape. Currently, it has a daily capacity of 650,000 barrels, so it is already cutting the country’s reliance on fuel imports. There’s limited space to explain how the nearby fertilizer plant, currently producing three million metric tons annually, is adding its own weight.
Dangote’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed, naturally. From being the 144th richest man in 2024, he now sits at 86th globally, with a fortune of $23.9 billion. Even so, it is not about numbers with him but legacy. Here is a man who dreams of an Africa that no longer imports what it can produce itself. From cement to oil, fertilizer to gas pipelines, Dangote’s philosophy stays the same: build, expand, dominate. He has faced countless challenges and, in his own words, has “not lost one yet.” If history is any indication, this latest leap is just another chapter in a story that’s far from finished