Business
US Journal Announces Dangote as World’s 11th Greatest Leader
Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote has been ranked 11th in the club of World’s 50 Greatest Leaders for this year.
The rating was announced by Fortune, a multinational business magazine based in New York City, United States. It focuses mainly on privately-run businesses and how their promoters have used them to impact their society positively.
The magazine, which had its maiden edition published in February 1930, said the world’s greatest leaders (both men and women) are transforming the world and inspiring others to do so in business, government, philanthropy and the arts.
It said: “These thinkers, speakers and doers make bold choices and take big risks – and move others to do the same.”
It was learnt that Fortune magazine was recognising and including Aliko Dangote in the annual ranking for the first time. Specifically, Dangote having popped up in the magazine’s radar earned nomination after being adjudged as having used business to acquire wealth and converting the wealth into impactful philanthropy through his Aliko Dangote Foundation.
The top 10 greatest men and women, according to Fortune are: Bill and Melinda Gates; Jacinda Ardem (Prime Minister, New Zealand); Robert Mueller (Special Counsel, Department of Justice); Pony Ma (Founder and CEO, Tencent); Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft); Greta Thunberg (Student and climate activist, Sweden); Margrethe Vestager (Commissioner for Competition, European Union); Anna Nimiriano (Editor-in-Chief, Juba Monitor); Jose Andres (Chef/Founder, World Central Kitchen); and Dough Mcmillon and Lisa Woods (CEO; Senior Director, Strategy & Design for U.S. Benefits, Walmart).
Dangote’s rating as one of the greatest business leaders has attracted comments by eminent persons around the world, who described him as worthy of the nomination going by his business acumen and philanthropic gestures.
Global business giant and founder of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Mr. Bill Gate, extolled the efforts of Dangote in making businesses play roles in provision of sound public health through his various interventions in health care issues, especially in the fight against malnutrition and routine polio.
Gates, who tops the list of World’s Greatest Leaders, said: “Aliko Dangote, through his leadership at the Aliko Dangote Foundation, is a key partner in the Polio eradication effort, strengthening routine immunisation and fighting malnutrition in Nigeria and across Africa. Aliko bridges the gap between private business and public health in a unique way and our shared belief that Nigeria will thrive when every Nigerian is able to thrive drives our partnership.”
Renowned activist and co-founder of ONE, Paul David Hewson (popularly called Mr. Bono), said he was not surprised at Dangote’s feat globally, describing his vision “as big as the African continent”.
Bono, a global campaigner on taking action to end extreme poverty, especially in Africa said: “Aliko has a vision just the size of his continent, but with humility of somebody who has just started his first job. It’s no surprise to me that Fortune would recognise his leadership because we have seen first-hand, through his service on ONE’s Board, the benefits of his wise counsel and grace.”
Also, economic analyst Bismark Rewane, stated: “Aliko remains understated but very potent and Africa’s most successful and decorated entrepreneur. He is a global financial and managerial behemoth.”
That wealth is based on a big bet on Nigeria’s economic independence: Dangote’s peers give him credit for helping the country become self-sufficient in the sectors in which his companies compete (cement, agriculture and mining)
The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) is the Philanthropic endeavor of the business mogul. The main objective of the Foundation is to reduce the number of lives lost to malnutrition and disease. The Foundation is poised to combat Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) in children, as the core of its programming. It has also resolved to use its investments in health, education, and economic empowerment to help lift people out of poverty.
Dangote was last year ranked among 75 most powerful persons on the planet. He was rated ahead of U.S. Vice President Mike Pence.
He has been named among most powerful persons in the world for the past five consecutive years. According to the Forbe’s 2018 ranking of the World Powerful people, Dangote ranked among world leaders like Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump – all of whom were ranked first, second and third respectively.
He was the only Nigerian on the list and one of the only two Africans who made the list with the other being the Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was ranked 45th most powerful.
He was named among the 100 most influential personalities in the world in 2018 byTime Magazine, a leading business broadcast organisation. The CNBC had earlier in same year ranked Dangote as one of the 25 people that have had most profound impact on business and finance worldwide.
He was rated the most influential African by Jeune Afrique in their classification of the most influential 50 Africans in 2018, and was also named the 6th most charitable person in the world in the same year according to Richtopia, a United Kingdom-based digital platform. He is, in addition, the richest African, according to Forbes.
Dangote stepped up his humanitarian activities recently spending billions of to build hospitals and critical hospital equipment, the lack of which has promoted medical tourism among the few privileged.
He recently donated a N1.2 billion Business School complex to the Bayero University in Kano and another one for the University of Ibadan Business School. Last month, he donated 10 blocks of hall of students’ hostel with capacity for 2,160 beds to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State
Dangote has, through the Foundation been disbursing N10 billion to vulnerable women across the 774 local governments in the country.
Dangote made a donation of $2 million to the World Food Programme as part of efforts to help Pakistani nationals devastated by floods in the year 2010.
He was made the chairperson of the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief, which raised in excess of N11.35 billion, of which Dangote himself contributed N2.5 billion, an amount higher than the entire contribution from the 36 state governors in Nigeria.
The Foundation has spent over N7 billion in the troubled Northeast for the reintegration of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Fidelity Bank Plc has congratulated Air Peace on the successful launch of its maiden direct flight from Lagos to London Heathrow, describing the milestone as a significant achievement for Nigeria’s aviation sector and a testament to the power of indigenous partnerships.
The commendation was delivered by Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director of Fidelity Bank, during a special event held in Lagos to celebrate the airline’s expansion into the European market.
“This is not just a win for Air Peace, but a win for Nigeria,” Onyeali-Ikpe said. “It reflects the strength of home-grown businesses and the impact of strategic financial support in enabling national champions to thrive on the global stage.”
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports that Fidelity Bank has played a pivotal role in Air Peace’s growth, providing early financial backing and advisory services that helped the airline become the largest carrier in West Africa. The bank continues to support Air Peace through payment processing and other financial services
The launch of the London route marks a new chapter for Air Peace, which now joins a select group of African airlines operating direct flights to Heathrow.
The development is expected to boost tourism, trade, and connectivity between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Speaking at the event, Allen Onyema, Chairman of Air Peace, expressed gratitude to Fidelity Bank for its unwavering support and reaffirmed the airline’s commitment to excellence and service.
“This partnership has been instrumental in our journey,” Onyema said. “We are proud to fly the Nigerian flag across international skies.”
Industry stakeholders present at the event praised the collaboration between the two companies as a model for sustainable business growth and national development.
The Group Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, and Heirs Holdings Limited, Tony Elumelu, CFR has challenged African policymakers to create environments that reward enterprise and unlock the continent’s vast potential. He said this much while delivering a keynote address during the Abuja Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, which held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre Abuja on Wednesday, said “Predictable regulation attracts long-term investment, while inconsistency drives it away. He therefore urged governments to see private sector success as the foundation of national prosperity.
Elumelu who underscored the critical role of the private sector as the true engine of transformation, accounting for over 70% of Africa’s GDP and 80% of employment, also urged African leaders to create a sustainable environment to attract long-term investment.
Elumelu who was speaking while delivering the keynote address during the Abuja Business & Investment Summit & Expo 2025, which held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre Abuja on Wednesday, said “Predictable regulation attracts long-term investment, while inconsistency drives it away. He therefore urged governments to see private sector success as the foundation of national prosperity.
Citing his group’s transformative investments in the Federal Capital Territory, including the revitalisation of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, the launch of the Transcorp Event Centre, and ongoing reforms in the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Elumelu pointed out that these projects illustrate how purposeful private capital can power real development.
Speaking on the theme, “Empowering Sustainable Growth: Unlocking Potential in Emerging Markets”, he called for a new social contract between business and government, grounded in trust, transparency, and partnership, adding that sustainable progress requires policies that convert investor confidence into nation-building.
While advocating policy stability to champion the pivotal role of the private sector in unlocking Africa’s vast economic potential, Elumelu, who is also the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, reiterated that no nation has ever achieved sustained prosperity without a vibrant and virile private sector.
“Across Africa, the private sector contributes over 70% of our continent’s GDP and over 80% of total employment. But this is not just about numbers; it’s about influence and initiative. The private sector is reimagining what is possible on our continent,” he stated.
He noted that Africa’s transformation will be led by investing long-term in critical sectors to unlock and catalyze prosperity and opportunities for all.
“How can we expect foreign investors to invest in us, in our economies and countries, if we don’t invest in our own economies? Make your money, but please bring it and invest locally. It will be a huge disservice and act of unpatriotism to save your money in economies that already have so much,” Elumelu challenged participants during the event.
He took time to commend the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Minister of State FCT, Dr. Mahmoud Mariya, for the infrastructural drive within the FCT, emphasizing the importance of collaboration.
In her presentation, the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud who expressed profound gratitude to Tony Elumelu and fellow investors for their faith in Abuja, reiterated the FCTA’s unwavering determination to intensify its infrastructural drive, ensuring the capital remains the premier investment destination in Nigeria and across the continent.
The annual ABISummit2025 serves as a critical platform to turn this ambitious vision into concrete partnerships and actionable strategies for empowering sustainable growth across Nigeria and the wider African continent.
FirstBank, the premier bank in West Africa and a leading financial inclusion service provider, has proudly announced the commencement of its 2025 Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CR&S) Week, scheduled to hold from 27 October – 1 November 2025.
Now in its ninth year, the annual event is a reflection of the Bank’s commitment to community empowerment, environmental stewardship, and the advancement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through the ‘Start Performing Acts of Random Kindness’ (SPARK) initiative, FirstBank continues to build on its legacy of sowing seeds of kindness, with a focus on uplifting communities and reducing environmental impact. During CR&S Week, the Bank mobilises employees across the FirstBank Group, including FirstBank Nigeria, FirstBank UK, FirstBank Gambia, FirstBank Sierra Leone, FirstBank DRC, FirstBank Guinea, FirstBank Ghana, FBNBank Senegal, First Pension, and First Nominees, to dedicate their time and resources to meaningful causes aligned with the Bank’s sustainability strategy.
Commenting on the week-long event, Acting Group Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications at FirstBank, Olayinka Ijabiyi, said, “CR&S Week is a call to action. It is about showing up for humanity, being kind to one another, and proving that even the smallest act can ripple into lasting change. FirstBank believes that kindness is a currency that never devalues, and that is why every year since 2017, staff have gone the extra mile to give back to the communities through its SPARK initiative, while also encouraging people to perform acts of random kindness.”
The Bank plans to plant at least 20,000 trees within the week in partnership with the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), in the final phase of its support for the Nigeria’s 2060 decarbonisation agenda. This effort builds on the Bank’s pledge to plant 50,000 trees by 2025, with 31,000 trees successfully planted over the past two years.
Additionally, in line with FirstBank’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG) of women empowerment, the Bank will collaborate with Borno and Katsina States to raise and provide medical interventions (including surgeries and post-care kits) for women living with Vesicovaginal Fistula (VVF).
Throughout the week, FirstBank staff will be inspired to share messages of kindness, fostering a culture of compassion, civility, and empathy across the Bank. The programme will feature themed webinars centered on the SPARK initiative, as well as school engagements designed to instill the values of generosity and social responsibility in younger generations. The week will culminate in visits to orphanage homes, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, and charitable organisations across Nigeria, sub-Saharan Africa, and the UK, demonstrating kindness and empowering those at the bottom of the pyramid.
These initiatives epitomise FirstBank’s care for the environment and humanity, aligning with the Bank’s sustainability strategic pillars and support for the Green Recovery Nigeria
Since the first edition in 2017, FirstBank’s CR&S Week has spotlighted the Bank’s corporate citizenship interventions driving positive social impact, sustainability, and community engagement. Over the years, it has evolved into a platform that mobilises stakeholders and non-customers alike across its global network to champion causes that uplift lives, protect the environment, and promote inclusive development. FirstBank is encouraging and inspiring individuals to go beyond their everyday routines and perform acts of random kindness.
