December 5, 2017
By Staff, “The Gist”
Africa’s richest person (with a net worth of $14.6 billion dollars according to Forbes Magazine), Aliko Dangote was honored last night at the Bloomberg 50 annual gala dinner at New York City’s iconic Gotham Hall. The Nigerian is one of Bloomberg’s list of 50 most influential names who have had an impact on the world in 2017.
Represented in New York City by the CEO of his Foundation, Dangote was honored for his outstanding commitment of over $4 billion to increase Nigeria’s food production capacity.
MEASURABLE CHANGE OVER THE PAST YEAR
“What sets The Bloomberg 50 apart from other lists is that each person chosen has demonstrated measurable change over the past year,” Bloomberg Businessweek editor Megan Murphy said. “From finance and politics to tech and entertainment, these people defined global business in 2017.”
Dangote claimed another distinction at the Bloomberg 50; he was the only African on the list!
ALIKO DANGOTE, HONOREE
“Dubbed ‘the quiet billionaire’ for his relatively frugal lifestyle, Dangote fast-tracked plans to help his country of 180 million people import less of what it eats. Dangote, who made his fortune in the cement industry, is turning his attention to dairy and sugar farming; he’s earmarked $800 million to buy 50,000 cattle in the hope of producing 500 million liters of milk annually by 2019. He’s also racing to finish a 650,000-barrel-a-day oil refinery near Lagos, set to be one of the world’s biggest, and says he intends to spend as much as $50 billion in the next decade on renewable energy and petrochemical refineries, including investments in the U.S. and Europe. Which is all fine, but not quite his grand ambition: buying Arsenal, his favorite soccer team.”
It is said that Dangote and his companies represent the imperative of African industrialization, pan-African development and emancipation from dependance.
OTHER HONOREES
At the event, emceed by African-American actor and comedian Keegan-Michael Key – other Bloomberg 50 honorees including African Americans;
- Ken Frazier – CEO, MERCK & CO.
- Jordan Peele – FOUNDER, MONKEYPAW PRODUCTIONS. His horror-comedy movie Get Out, was Peele’s directorial debut. The film took in $252 million worldwide on a $4.5 million budget and established the 38-year-old actor, writer, and producer as Hollywood’s most trenchant satirist. (He was also a comedy partner of the events host, Key, as Key & Peele).
- Raphael Bostic – PRESIDENT AND CEO, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF ATLANTA
- Chancelor Bennett (aka Chance the Rapper) – MUSICIAN. He won 3 Grammys for Coloring Book, his self-released album that’s stayed on the Billboard 200 for more than 75 weeks and has been streamed more than 1.5 billion times, according to Nielsen.
USUAL SUSPECTS
Bloomberg’s “The Usual Suspects List” – though they were not honored last night in NYC, Bloomberg 50 says that this group could make ANY list of influencers at anytime! This list includes African Americans; LeBron James, Shonda Rhimes, Serena Williams, and Oprah Winfrey.