Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has said having a son to inherit his business empire is not a priority, as he believes his three daughters, Halima, Fatima and Mariya, are capable of taking over the business in the future.
Dangote stated this in an interview, while responding to a question on whether he still considered having a male child, particularly given the traditional expectations surrounding male heirs in Kano, his home state.
The 69-year-old businessman said having a son was not necessarily a guarantee that his family’s legacy would be preserved.
“God controls everything. And for me, really, sometimes, yeah, you can pray for God to give you a son, but that son might be the one that would tear down the name of the family. So sometimes when God doesn’t give you something, don’t push.
“Even if I had a son, I don’t think the son would have done better than these three daughters that I have.”
Asked whether he could see one of his daughters taking charge of the group, Dangote said he believed one of them could eventually lead the company.
“I think, yes, I can see one of them. I’ve been watching all of them, so I can definitely see one of the three that can actually lead.
“They are very, very interested in the business. I’m not forcing them to come and be part of this business, no. They are very interested, and they enjoy it,” he said.
Dangote added that he believed his daughters could surpass his achievements and take the company to a higher level.
