Aliko Dangote and his daughters who have now been named his heirs
Africa’s richest man has built refineries, cement plants, and a business empire that stretches across the continent. But beyond the boardrooms, billion-dollar balance sheets and industrial dominance, Aliko Dangote has another story, one rooted in family.
With a net worth of $31.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Dangote’s fortune has surged in 2026, powered largely by the operational take-off of the Dangote Oil Refinery, Africa’s largest.
The refinery’s launch in early 2024 was more than a business milestone; it was a bold declaration of ambition.
And as conversations about legacy and succession quietly gather pace, attention is naturally turning to three names: Mariya, Halima and Fatima Dangote.
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Behind the towering silos of cement and the roaring engines of refinery pipelines stand three women raised at the centre of Africa’s most powerful business dynasty.
They are not just heirs to a fortune; they are daughters shaped by privilege, education, exposure and expectation, the next generation of the Dangote story.
Here are brief profiles on these three powerhouses.
Mariya Dangote
The first child is perhaps the most reserved of the trio. Educated abroad, she holds a Bachelor’s degree from a prestigious international institution and a Master’s degree from Coventry University in the United Kingdom.
Unlike many heirs to vast fortunes, Mariya keeps a remarkably low public profile. Little is known about her personal life, and she rarely occupies the spotlight.
That discretion has only heightened public curiosity about who she is; a woman shaped by elite education and proximity to one of Africa’s most powerful business figures.
Halima Dangote
The second daughter presents a more visible corporate presence.
A graduate of the American Intercontinental University in London with a degree in marketing, she later earned a Master’s degree from Webster Graduate School.
Over the years, Halima has built a reputation for sharp business insight, reflecting the influence of growing up within the Dangote empire.
Married to Sulaiman Sani Bello since 2008 and a mother of two, she embodies a blend of executive exposure and family life that mirrors the balancing act often required in large family-owned enterprises.
Fatima Dangote
Then there is Fatima Dangote, the youngest.
Educated in London and trained as a lawyer, Fatima has shown an entrepreneurial streak that stretches beyond corporate law.
She owns a large cupcake production factory in Lagos, turning a passion for baking into a structured business venture.
In 2018, she married Jamil Mohammed Abubakar, a pilot and son of former Inspector General of Police Abubakar Dikko Mohammed, in a high-profile ceremony that drew national attention.
Together, Mariya, Halima and Fatima are gradually stepping into clearer view, not simply as daughters of Africa’s richest man, but as educated, accomplished women whose lives are increasingly intertwined with one of the continent’s most powerful business empires.
As the Dangote name continues to dominate headlines, it is these three women the public is beginning to watch more closely.
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