Aliko Dangote Shares Tip to His Success: "I Had My First Private Jet Before the Age Of 23"

• Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote shared his early business journey in a recent interview, reflecting on wealth he had built before his mid-twenties
• Dangote disclosed that he lost his father at age eight and built his fortune from scratch, starting with cement trading
• The billionaire spoke about the mindset that drove his rise, including his belief in simplicity and self-confidence as core principles

Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, has been recounting his years as a businessman in a bid to inspire people trying to make it as big as him.

In an interview with Adeoluwa Prince Enioluwa, Dangote noted that believing in oneself.

"So you have to first believe in yourself that look, I can do it. Then the rest they are secondary. But what keeps you grounded? I have taken life very, very simple and easy because I dont want to be very from force."

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"I have done some of these things long time. Like what I told somebody, I had my first private jet before the age of 23… At the time, I had almost 27 cars."

Dangote also spoke candidly about personal loss, noting that his father died when he was just eight years old.

Although his grandfather was a man of considerable means, Dangote was clear that he did not inherit his fortune.

“…I just started with nothing, just simple business collecting trucks of cement or cement. I started with cement actually.”

That modest start in cement trading eventually gave rise to one of Africa's most powerful business empires.

Dangote founded and chairs Dangote Cement, the largest cement producer on the continent, with an annual production capacity of 48.6 million metric tons and operations spanning 10 countries across Africa.

He holds approximately 85% of the publicly traded company through a holding company.

Beyond cement, Dangote has expanded into other critical sectors. His fertiliser plant in Nigeria commenced operations in March 2022 after years of development, while the Dangote Refinery, which broke ground in 2016, began refining operations in early 2024.

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The interview offered a rare personal perspective from a man whose business trajectory has made him a symbol of African entrepreneurial ambition, with Dangote framing his rise not as a product of inherited privilege, but of conviction and consistent effort.

Source: YEN.com.gh