Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has berated Northern governors for “doing little” to end poverty in the region, Igbere TV can report.
Igbere TV reports that Alhaji Dangote is the Chairman of Dangote Group of Companies, Nigeria’s multinational industrial conglomerate.
It is the largest conglomerate in West Africa and one of the largest on the African continent. The group employs more than 30,000 people, generating revenue in excess of US$4.1 billion in 2017.
Speaking at the 4th edition of Kaduna Investment Summit on Wednesday in Kaduna, the billionaire said Northern Nigeria will continue to remain poor except states governments collaborated with the private sector to create investments and close development gaps in the region.
He said that more than 60 per cent of the population lives in extreme poverty, which according to him, is very alarming.
Dangote, who revealed that the 19 Northern states which accounts for over 54 per cent of Nigeria’s population and 70 per cent of its landmass, collectively generated only 21 per cent of the total subnational IGR in the year 2017, maintained that the region will continue to fall behind if the states governments do not move to close the development gap.
His words: “Nigeria is ranked at 157th out of 189 countries on the human development index. While the overall socio-economic condition in the country is a cause for concern, the regional disparities are in fact very alarming.
“In the North Western and North Eastern parts of Nigeria, more than 60 per cent of the population lives in extreme poverty.
“It is instructive to know that the 19 Northern states which accounts for over 54 per cent of Nigeria’s population and 70 per cent of its landmass, collectively generate, only 21 per cent of the total subnational IGR in the year 2017.
“Northern Nigeria will continue to fall behind if the respective states governments do not move to close the development gap.
“And that is why we are always saying the biggest challenge that we have and what we have been praying for is to have 10 governors like Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to move the northern Nigeria forward.
“Closing the gap requires multi years investment and government will not be able to raise the require capital funding, only the private sector can raise the capital to fund the level of investment that this country needs.
“Therefore, government must create the conducive environment that will trigger a huge inflow of private capital into attractive sectors of the economy.”
