Aliko Dangote is only African among Bloomberg's 50 most influential people in 2017

desmond frimpong

December 7, 2017 12:24 PM

The only black African named in the list was honoured for his $4 billion dollar investment in Nigeria to increase the country’s food production capacity.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, has been honored for his contribution to increasing local food production and reducing food imports in Nigeria.

Dangote was among the 50 most influential people honored by Bloomberg for their contribution to humanity at Bloomberg’s Annual Gala Dinner in New York.

According to Bloomberg,“his outstanding commitment of over 4 billion dollars to increase Nigeria’s food production capacity won him the honour.

Bloomberg Businessweek editor Megan Murphy explains that, “each person chosen has demonstrated measurable change over the past year.”

The African billionaire aims to lessen food imports into Nigeria by focusing on domestic production of sugar and dairy while targeting the production of 500 million litres of milk by 2019.

Earlier this year he also announced a $50 billion plan to invest in renewable energy.

Ranked 51st richest person in the world in 2016 with a net worth of $15.4 billion, Dangote currently has a net worth of $12.2 billion. The fall has been attributed to the devaluation of the Nigerian currency.

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