End of an Era: Aliko Dangote Steps Down as Chairman of Dangote Sugar After Two Decades of Industry Dominance

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is set to officially retire as Chairman of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc on June 16, 2025, marking the end of his 20-year reign at the helm of one of Nigeria’s largest food manufacturing giants. The announcement, confirmed by Company Secretary Temitope Hassan on Wednesday, signals a major leadership transition for the conglomerate.

Dangote, who assumed chairmanship in 2005, played a pivotal role in transforming the company from a local sugar packaging enterprise into an integrated sugar production powerhouse. Under his leadership, Dangote Sugar’s market share surged as the company pursued backward integration projects worth billions of naira, targeting self-sufficiency in sugar production across Nigeria.

With key investments across Nasarawa, Adamawa, and Taraba States, the Dangote Sugar Master Plan aimed to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on sugar imports and stimulate rural economies. Industry analysts have described Dangote’s strategy as bold and disruptive, helping stabilize prices and increase the country’s local refining capacity.

The board has named Arnold Ekpe, a seasoned international banker and former CEO of Ecobank Group, as Dangote’s successor. Ekpe, known for his transformative leadership across Africa’s financial sector, brings a wealth of boardroom experience and global perspective to his new role as Chairman effective the same day—June 16, 2025.

A statement from the company described Ekpe’s selection as the outcome of a “rigorous transition and succession process” aligned with global best practices in corporate governance. “We are confident in Mr. Ekpe’s capacity to steer the next phase of our growth,” the board said, expressing optimism about the company’s future.

Analysts believe Dangote’s retirement from Dangote Sugar could free up more of his time and resources for projects like the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and his philanthropic work through the Aliko Dangote Foundation. Yet his exit also raises questions about strategic continuity amid Nigeria’s turbulent economic landscape and the government’s renewed push for agro-industrial reforms.

Tributes have poured in from across Nigeria’s corporate and political circles, lauding Dangote’s contributions to national economic development. His departure marks a defining moment not just for the sugar industry but for the future of Nigerian industrialization and succession planning within indigenous conglomerates.