Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has stepped down from his position as Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc’s Board of Directors.
His retirement took effect on July 25, 2025, according to a statement issued by the company’s spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina on Friday.
Chiejina explained that Dangote decided to leave the board to concentrate more on other key areas of his business empire, including the Dangote Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser projects, and Government Relations.
Following his exit, the company appointed Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman of the Board.
“Foremost entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote has announced his retirement as a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025,” Chiejina said.
“He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board so as to focus more attention on the Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser and Government Relations, in order to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.
“The board of Dangote Cement Plc has therefore announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman, Board of Directors.
“In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company while Prof. Dorothy Ufot retired from the Board,” the statement reads.
Chiejina said Dangote leaves giant footprints as he retires from the board, adding that his vision and tenacity redefined not just his company, but the entire cement industry landscape by becoming Africa’s largest cement producer and largest exporter of cement and clinker in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Aliko Dangote’s journey with cement began with a bold dream: to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in cement production. Through strategic investments in state-of-the-art plants, and a commitment to local content, he not only met that goal but exceeded it,” he said.
“Dangote Cement Plc has 52.0Mta capacity across African continent with Nigeria accounting for 35.25Mta. Currently, additional greenfield plants are coming up in Cote Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 Mta) and on completion this year will push total capacity to 61.0Mta.
“Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement Plc recorded the highest revenue and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) in the history of the company. According to the unaudited results for the six months ending 30th June 2025, the group revenue went up by 17.7 percent, from N1,760 billion at the same period in 2024 to N2,071.6 billion, representing the highest revenue in the history of the company.
“Group Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) grew by 41.8 percent to N944.900 billion from N666.22 billion. EBITDA (Nigeria Operations) grew by 82.4 percent to N845.4 billion. Profit before tax went up from N292.96 billion to N730 billion indicating 149 percent increase while profit after tax surged by 174.1 percent to ₦520.5 billion, in contrast to N189.90 billion in the same period at the preceding period.”
Chiejina said cement export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2 percent in the six months, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon.
“Aliko Dangote’s legacy will be counted in the millions of jobs created, the infrastructure built, and the confidence restored in African industrial potential,” the spokesperson added.
“He has proven that Africa can produce, compete, and lead on the global stage. It is on record that subsidiaries under Dangote Group paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it the highest taxpayer in the country.”
In his acceptance speech, Emmanuel Ikazoboh expressed gratitude for the appointment, promising to bring strong leadership and uphold high standards.
He praised Dangote Cement as a symbol of African business strength, known for its resilience, innovation, and pursuit of excellence.
Sharing his plans for the future, Ikazoboh said, “My vision for Dangote Cement Plc is built upon a foundation of sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and unwavering commitment to our core values.
“We will continue to focus on the following key priorities, Operational Excellence, Strategic Expansion, Sustainability, Innovation and Community Engagement.”
Ikazoboh brings extensive experience to the role. The new chairman previously served as Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc., a leading pan-African bank.
His career began at Akintola Williams Deloitte, where he served as Managing Partner in the firm’s offices across Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and later in West and Central Africa.
In 2010, Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appointed him as Interim Administrator to lead reforms at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS).
With this leadership transition, Dangote Cement enters a new chapter, with Emmanuel Ikazoboh now steering the board as the company pushes ahead with its long-term growth strategy.
