Dangote Retires From Cement Board As Ikazoboh Steps In

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.

He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board to focus more attention on the refinery, petrochemicals, fertiliser and government relations to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.

The board of Dangote Cement has appointed Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new chairman, Board of Directors.

In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Dangote was also appointed to the board of directors of the company while Prof. Dorothy Ufot retired from the board.

Dangote Cement said, “Reputed as Africa’s leading investor, Aliko Dangote leaves giant footprints as he retires from the board. His vision and tenacity redefined not just a 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,” the company said.

Dangote Cement Plc has 52.0Mta capacity across Africa 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.

The company further said, “Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement 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 ended June 30, 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 N520.5 billion, in contrast to N189.90 billion in the same period at the preceding period. In the six months, export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2 percent, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon.”

It added that Aliko Dangote’s legacy will be counted in the millions of jobs created, the infrastructure built, and the confidence restored in African industrial potential, saying that “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.”

The new chairman of the Board of the Company, Emmauel Ikazoboh said, “he is truly honored to accept the role of Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc while pledging to uphold the highest standards of leadership and dedication in this role.”

He described the company as a beacon of African enterprise, which has consistently demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a commitment to excellence, saying that “over the years, Dangote Cement has not only become the continent’s leading cement producer but has also played a vital role in driving economic growth and development across numerous African nations.”

Giving an insight into what his tenure holds for the company, he 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.”