April 10, 1957 Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the wealthiest black person in the world, was born in Kano, Nigeria. After graduating in business studies from Al-Azahar University, Dangote started business in 1977 trading in rice, sugar, and cement. With success, he incorporated two businesses in 1981. As President and Chief Executive Officer, he has grown the Dangote Group to include 13 subsidiaries, doing business in 14 African countries, with over 12,000 employees. The subsidiary businesses include food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight. As of February 2017 his net worth placed at $12.5 billion 2012.
