Dangote Cement has announced the retirement of its founder and majority shareholder, Aliko Dangote, from his role as chairman of the company.

In a statement on Friday, Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Group chief, branding and communications officer, said the businessman relinquished the position to focus on Dangote Petroleum Refinery, petrochemical and fertiliser plant, as well as government relations.

Chiejina said Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, has been appointed as the new chairman.

Also, the spokesperson said Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote was appointed to the board, while Dorothy Ufot, an independent non-executive director, retired from the board.

“Foremost entrepreneur and 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,” Chiejina said.

“He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board so as to focus more attention on the Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser and Government Relations, in order to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.

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“The board of Dangote Cement Plc has therefore announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman, Board of Directors. In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company while Prof. Dorothy Ufot retired from the Board.”

‘Dangote leaves giant footsteps’

Chiejina said the billionaire leaves giant footprints as he retires from the board, adding that his vision and tenacity redefined not just his 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,” he said.

“Dangote Cement Plc has 52.0Mta capacity across African continent 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.

“Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement Plc 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 ending 30th June 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 ₦520.5 billion, in contrast to N189.90 billion in the same period at the preceding period.”

Chiejina said cement export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2 percent in the six months, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon.

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

“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.”

Ikazoboh vows to implement cost-reduction strategies 

In his acceptance speech, Ikazoboh said he is honoured to accept the role and pledged to uphold the highest standards of leadership and dedication.

He also announced plans to drive down costs through the implementation of robust cost-reduction strategies to navigate inflationary pressures and enhance competitiveness during his tenure.

Ikazoboh added that the company will accelerate efforts to adopt alternative fuels and technologies, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a more sustainable future.

According to Chiejina, the new chairman was previously the group chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc., but started his professional career at Akintola Williams Deloitte.

Ikazoboh first became the managing partner for francophone offices in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire and later became the managing partner of the Deloitte firm in West and Central Africa until 2009.

In 2010, Chiejina said Ikazoboh was appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an interim administrator to carry out capital market reforms of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) — now known as the Nigerian Exchange Limited — and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc. (CSCS).