Aliko Dangote, Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group and the richest African with a wealth value of $25 billion was in Kenya with President Jonathan of Nigeria. Dangote was part of business delegation that came with Nigerian president to Kenya on an official visit.
“(President Uhuru Kenyatta) particularly cited the … the decision by Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote to invest $400 million in a cement processing plant as an indicator that an “exciting journey has begun”,” according to official statement by Kenyatta’s office as reported by Reuters.
Also in Kenya, when President Jonathan attended the gathering of Nigerian citizens living in Kenya, Dangote in the meeting extol the favorable economic policy of Jonathan administration that made it possible for his business to grow bountifully. Dangote said
“I want to tell you what the president has been doing in Nigeria. He is very humble and may not want to sing about what he has been doing. We are very grateful for some of the policies he has introduced. As you all know, without the good policies of government, there is no way a person like me from a big town like Kano can rise from a humble beginning to become the 25th richest person on earth.”
Dangote continued,”Without the policies of Mr. President and also making sure that yes, there is consistency in the policies of government this could not have happened. If government has bad policies, the whole economy will crumble, and if they have good policies people will be able to prosper, and that is what it is now. Today, the company that we started, which was worth not more than four million dollars; by the grace of the Almighty and through the good policies of our government, this same company of ours is now worth 21 billion dollars,” he emphasized.
Emeka Chiakwelu, Principal Policy Strategist at AFRIPOL, agreed with Dangote on the fiscal and economic policies of President Jonathan that has become pro-growth and pro-development. The business climate has become positive with incentives that can propel growth.
Chiakwelu said, “The economic policy implemented by the present administration is beginning to bear fruits. President Jonathan and his economic team especially Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are doing great job. The economy has been growing consistently for sometime at and above 6 percent.”
” Dangote and other investors will see their investments grow even more as electricity project becomes functional and fully implemented,” Chiakwelu concluded.
Earlier this year in May, Dangote had promised to invest $5 billion in the rest of Africa, building cement industries and Kenya has become the first recipient.
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