Business
Dangote Says Having a Son Is Not His Priority, Praises Three Daughters
Aliko Dangote says having a son is not a priority, praising his three daughters and confirming plans to dedicate one-third of his estate to philanthropy.
President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has said having a male heir is not a priority for him, stressing that his three daughters have performed exceptionally well.
Dangote made the statement during an interview with Arise News on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, while responding to a question about whether he still desired a son to carry on his family name and legacy.
The 69-year-old businessman said such matters were ultimately in God’s hands and warned against forcing circumstances that were not meant to be.
He noted that having a son did not automatically guarantee the preservation or advancement of a family’s name.
“You can pray for God to give you a son, but he might be the one to take down the name of the family. Sometimes, when God doesn’t give you something, don’t push,” Dangote said.
He added that he did not believe a son would necessarily have achieved more than his three daughters—Mariya, Halima and Fatima.
“I don’t think a son would have done better than the three daughters that I have,” he said.
Asked whether he could see one of his daughters eventually leading the Dangote Group, the billionaire said it was possible.
He explained that his daughters were interested in the family business and had chosen to participate in it without being forced.
Dangote’s comments came amid discussions about the future leadership of his business empire and the management of his wealth after his death.
In July, his daughter, Halima Dangote, disclosed that the family had agreed to allocate 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy through the Dangote Foundation. Dangote confirmed during the Arise News interview that a formal agreement had been signed to transfer one-third of his estate to the foundation for charitable purposes.
According to Forbes, Dangote’s estimated net worth stood at $51.3 billion as of September 14, 2026.
The businessman also advised young Nigerians and entrepreneurs to embrace hard work, consistency, focus and patience.
He urged them to identify their goals, concentrate on their chosen fields and avoid rushing the process of building a successful career or business.
Reflecting on his early business experience, Dangote said he began as a distributor rather than an importer.
“I started business only selling four trucks as a distributor and not an importer,” he said.