President Bola Tinubu congratulated Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, on his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, a global advisory body tasked with promoting investment and job creation in emerging economies, as announced in a statement by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, per The Nation, TheCable, and Punch. Tinubu described the appointment as “apt” and “well-deserved,” citing Dangote’s extensive private sector experience, strategic investments, and significant job creation through the Dangote Group, which employs over 30,000 people and is Nigeria‘s largest taxpayer, per Voice of Nigeria and Leadership.web:0,16
The World Bank announced Dangote’s appointment on April 24, 2025, as part of an expanded membership to scale up solutions for attracting private capital and creating jobs in developing countries, per TheCable and Businessday NG. The Lab, now including global leaders like Bill Anderson (CEO, Bayer AG), Sunil Bharti Mittal (Chair, Bharti Enterprises), and Mark Hoplamazian (President and CEO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation), aims to leverage private-sector expertise to drive employment and innovation, per The Nation and Channels Television. World Bank Group President Ajay Banga emphasized the Lab’s focus on job creation as a central pillar of global development, per Voice of Nigeria.web:3,6,19
Tinubu urged Dangote to apply his “transformative ideas and initiatives” to impact emerging markets globally, highlighting the $20 billion Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals project in Lagos as Africa’s largest single private investment, per Punch and ThisDay. The refinery, alongside the Dangote Group’s diverse portfolio in cement, fertilizer, salt, sugar, and oil and gas, underscores Dangote’s role in shaping Africa’s industrial landscape, per The Whistler and The Sun. Dangote expressed gratitude, stating, “I am both honoured and excited to accept my appointment… This opportunity aligns with my long-standing commitment to sustainable development,” drawing inspiration from the Asian Tigers’ strategic investment success, per Punch and New Nigerian Politics.web:8,13,16
X posts reflected positive sentiment, with @TheNationNews on May 1, 2025, noting Tinubu’s recognition of Dangote’s “transformative contributions,” and @scottbolshevik on April 25, 2025, suggesting the appointment could channel global private capital into Africa, targeting $1 billion in new investments, per *post:4,5⁊. The Aliko Dangote Foundation, sub-Saharan Africa’s largest private foundation, further bolsters his influence through initiatives in child nutrition, health, and education, per Leadership. Despite economic challenges like 34.8% inflation in Nigeria, Dangote’s role is seen as a step toward sustainable growth, though some X users like @Dolusegun16 emphasized broader job creation needs.
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