Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, has officially resigned as Chairman of the Board of Dangote Cement Plc, ending an era of leadership that transformed Nigeria from a major cement importer to Africa’s largest producer and exporter.
In a statement issued on Friday, the company announced that Emmanuel Ikazoboh, a seasoned executive with over 40 years of experience across Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and South Africa, has been appointed as the new board chairman.
The decision, according to the company, reflects its commitment to “principles of good corporate governance and succession planning.”
Dangote Cement has been instrumental in driving Nigeria’s industrial revolution. Under Dangote’s leadership, the company grew to an installed capacity of 48.6 million metric tonnes per annum (Mt/a)—with 32.3 Mt/a in Nigeria and 16.3 Mt/a across nine African countries, including Ethiopia, Cameroon, South Africa, and Tanzania.
The company is also expanding aggressively. In March 2025, it resumed work on an $800 million cement plant in Itori, Ogun State, which is expected to add 6 million Mt/a to its capacity by November 2026.
Dangote’s resignation from Dangote Cement follows a similar move at Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, where he stepped down in June 2025, paving the way for Arnold Ekpe, former Group CEO of Ecobank, to assume chairmanship.
While relinquishing these roles, Dangote is expected to maintain strategic oversight within the conglomerate, which remains a dominant player in cement, sugar, oil, and gas.
