Aliko Dangote will be first guest at PM’s inaugural fireside chat

by Linda Straker

• 6 February fireside chat will be live on GIS
• In October 2024, Prime Minister Mitchell visited some of Dangote’s companies
• Dangote gifted 1,000 cricket kits for cricket academy in Prime Minister’s constituency

Aliko Dangote, described by media houses internationally as Africa’s richest businessman will share his ideas about leadership and strategies for success when he joins Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell in the inaugural fireside chat on 6 February 2025.

The session which will be live on the Government Information Service (GIS) is described on the promotional flyer as “A unique opportunity to gain insights from one of Africa’s most influential businessmen as he discusses business, innovation, Leadership and strategies for success.”

This event will occur one day before Grenada’s 51st Independence celebration. The businessman is among guests and foreign dignitaries or diplomats expected to be part of the official celebration at the National Stadium, where the traditional military parade will be the highlight.

Internet searches have shown that Dangote is a Nigerian businessman born in Kano to a wealthy Hausa family. He is the great-grandson of Alhassan Dantata, the richest person in West Africa at the time of his death in 1955.

In October 2024, Prime Minister Mitchell diverted from a trip to Rwanda due to the Marburg virus and visited the Governor of Lagos and some of Dangote’s companies. The nation only learned of the Nigeria trip following various media houses in Nigeria showing videos and carrying news items of Prime Minister Mitchell visiting the refinery and sites of other companies owned by Dangote.

In a news conference on 16 October, the Prime Minister said that he travelled to Nigeria from the United Kingdom complements Dangote, who is known to have 2 private jets. During discussions, Dangote gifted 1,000 cricket kits to the cricket academy in the Prime Minister’s constituency.