Aliko Dangote Net Worth

Aliko Dangote has an estimated net worth of $51 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Aliko Dangote profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $10.4 billion in 2019.

Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman best known for building Dangote Group and leading Dangote Cement. He started in 1977 with a small trading company that imported sugar, salt, and food products. In 1981, he also set up Dangote Nigeria Limited and Blue Star Services, which imported rice as well as steel and aluminum materials. As demand for cement grew, he moved deeper into that market and built the business that made him widely known.

His wealth is tied mainly to manufacturing, especially cement and sugar. Forbes says he founded and chairs Dangote Cement, the largest cement producer in Africa. He owns 85% of the public company through a holding company. Forbes also notes that the business can produce 48.6 million metric tons a year and works in 10 countries across Africa. New projects added to his industrial base when his fertilizer plant started operations in March 2022 and his refinery began refining in early 2024.

How Aliko Dangote built his fortune

Dangote first made his mark in trading. His early company brought in sugar, salt, and food products, then expanded into rice and bulk materials such as steel and aluminum. Cement became a major turning point after strong demand pushed him further into that business. He later founded Dangote Cement, which grew into the biggest cement producer on the continent. That company remains the core of his wealth, alongside sugar and other manufacturing assets in Nigeria.

Today, a big share of his money is tied to large industrial projects. Forbes says he controls 85% of Dangote Cement through a holding company. The company has annual capacity of 48.6 million metric tons and operates in 10 African countries. Forbes also highlights newer plants in Nigeria. A fertilizer plant began operations in March 2022 after years of development. His refinery, whose construction started in 2016, began refining in early 2024.

Forbes net worth timeline

Forbes has shown large swings in Dangote's fortune over time. Its World's Billionaires List put him at $10.4 billion in 2019, then $8.3 billion in 2020. The estimate moved back up to $11.5 billion in 2021 and $14 billion in 2022. It edged higher to $14.2 billion in 2023 before slipping to $13.4 billion in 2024. Those years line up with his long-running push to expand beyond cement into fertilizer and refining.

The biggest jump in the figures came later. Forbes estimated $23.9 billion in 2025 and $28.5 billion in 2026 on its annual list. As of October 20, 2026, Forbes' real-time billionaires tracker showed $51 billion. The business picture in the same period included a refinery that had started refining in early 2024, plus a fertilizer plant already in operation since March 2022. Those projects added to the manufacturing empire behind his fortune.