‘Having a son isn’t my priority; my daughters have done better’ – Dangote

President of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has said having a son is not currently a priority for him, stressing that he is satisfied with the achievements of his three daughters.

Dangote, 69, made the disclosure in an interview aired by Arise News on Tuesday, when he was asked whether he still desired a male heir to carry on the family name.

“That is not my priority because God controls everything. 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,” he said.

The billionaire added that he did not believe having a son would have produced better results than his three daughters, Mariya, Halima and Fatima.

“I don’t think a son would have done better than the three daughters I have,” Dangote said.

Dangote’s comments came amid discussions about his succession plans and the future of his wealth. In July, his daughter, Halima Dangote, a trustee of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, disclosed that the family had agreed to dedicate 33 per cent of his estate to philanthropy.

Confirming the arrangement during the interview, Dangote said an agreement had been signed to ensure that one-third of his wealth would go to the Dangote Foundation after his death.

“It’s a paper that we’ve signed an agreement that in case anything happens, because I won’t live forever, that one-third belongs to Dangote Foundation, and the foundation should pass that money to people,” he said.

According to Forbes, Dangote has an estimated net worth of $51.3bn.

Speaking about the lessons he would offer young people seeking to succeed, the businessman advised them to work hard, remain consistent and focused, and avoid rushing the process.

“Work hard, be consistent, focused and know what you want to do. You can’t be a jack of all trades; concentrate, you will get there, and don’t be too much in a hurry,” he said.

Dangote also reflected on the beginnings of his business career, recalling that he started out as a distributor rather than an importer.

“I started business only selling four trucks as a distributor and not an importer,” he said.