I Bought My First Private Jet At 22—Dangote

President/CEO of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, on Monday disclosed that he acquired his first private jet at the age of 22 and a half.

Dangote made the revelation at the Nigerian Exchange in Lagos during the formal launch of the Initial Public Offering of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Reflecting on his decades in business, the billionaire industrialist said he had enjoyed the trappings of wealth early in life, but his priorities have now shifted to productive investments that create jobs and grow the economy.

“My career as a businessman, I really had a great time. I was telling somebody that right now I don’t mind, I can take commercial, I can take anything. I had my first private jet at 22 and a half years old,” he stated.

Dangote urged wealthy Nigerians to redirect spending from luxury assets to manufacturing and other productive ventures.

“I try as much as I can to encourage people who are riding $90 million aircraft to please go and put that into production,” he said.

He added that “we are not going to be a great nation without doing something productive. Nigeria cannot attain its full potential without greater investment in production and real sector activities.”

He noted that the decision to list the Dangote Refinery on the NGX was part of that push to democratise wealth and allow ordinary Nigerians to own a stake in strategic national assets.

The N2.15 trillion IPO, comprising 4.1 billion shares at N525 each, is billed as the largest in Africa’s capital market history.