President and CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has expressed gratitude following his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab—an initiative aimed at accelerating private investment and job creation in emerging economies.
In a statement confirming the development, Dangote described the appointment as both an honour and a reflection of his long-standing commitment to economic development through private enterprise.
“I am both honoured and excited to accept my appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, dedicated to advancing investment and employment in emerging economies,” Dangote said.
The lab, which was co-chaired in 2023 by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, previously sought to mobilise £1 trillion in sustainable investment, particularly targeting energy transition projects in emerging markets.
Over the past 18 months, the lab has convened leaders from global financial institutions to identify and address key barriers to private sector investment in low-income economies.
Its findings have now been consolidated into five core focus areas, including regulatory and policy certainty, which are being embedded across World Bank operations.
Dangote Group, founded by Aliko Dangote, is the largest conglomerate in West Africa and one of the most prominent on the African continent.
With investments spanning cement, fertiliser, salt, sugar and oil, the group employs over 30,000 people and is Nigeria’s largest private-sector employer and taxpayer.
The company’s flagship project—the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals—is the largest single private investment in Africa.
Dangote also leads the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the largest private philanthropic organisation in sub-Saharan Africa.
The foundation primarily supports child nutrition and also funds health, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief efforts.
