President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has announced plans to invest more than $10 billion in Africa’s power sector, saying the continent must urgently address its persistent electricity deficit.
Dangote disclosed the plan during an interview with Al Jazeera, where he stressed that reliable electricity remains critical to Africa’s industrialisation and economic growth.
The businessman said the Dangote Group is considering redirecting funds from some businesses into power generation and related investments.
According to him, the group expects significant transformation across Africa within the next three to four years, with electricity identified as one of the areas requiring major investment.
Dangote also expressed concern over the number of Africans without access to electricity. He cited an estimate of more than 600 million people across the continent who remain without reliable access to power.
He argued that Africa cannot achieve sustainable economic growth or create enough jobs without industrialisation, adding that reliable electricity is essential for factories and businesses to operate competitively.
Dangote: Africa Must Reduce Dependence on Imports
The industrialist also called for greater investment in local production, warning that Africa cannot continue relying heavily on imported goods.
He said the continent could eventually face difficulties financing the volume of imports it currently depends on, making it necessary for African countries to strengthen domestic manufacturing and industrial capacity.
Dangote also attributed some of the difficulties faced by investors in Africa to changing government policies and inadequate electricity supply.
He said these challenges have discouraged some investors from committing capital to major projects, although he maintained that some businesses, including his own, remain willing to invest in the continent.
Power Investment Comes Amid Infrastructure Challenges
Dangote’s proposed power investment comes against the backdrop of the extensive infrastructure challenges encountered by his group while developing major industrial projects.
During the interview, he recalled difficulties surrounding the development of one of the group’s projects, including delays over land acquisition and infrastructure.
He said a project was delayed for about three and a half years after the land acquired for it was blocked by a state government at the time.
The group subsequently acquired another parcel of land in Lagos for about $100 million, but Dangote said it faced further challenges because much of the site was marshy.
According to him, the company had to undertake extensive land reclamation and raise the site by about 1.5 metres. It also constructed bridges, roads capable of carrying extremely heavy equipment and a port to facilitate the movement of machinery.
Dangote said the experience demonstrated the scale of infrastructure required to support large-scale industrial development.
‘Power Is Growth’
The Dangote Group president repeatedly linked electricity supply to Africa’s economic prospects, arguing that the continent cannot achieve meaningful growth without dependable power.
He also connected electricity delivery with political accountability, suggesting that governments that successfully provide reliable power and other basic infrastructure would have stronger evidence of performance to present to citizens.
For Dangote, expanding electricity access is therefore not only an energy issue but also a key requirement for industrialisation, job creation and broader economic development across Africa.
The proposed $10 billion-plus investment could make power one of the major areas of Dangote Group’s future expansion, although details on the specific projects, locations, investment timeline and financing structure were not provided in the report.
