According to a report by Premium Times on Friday, May 15, 2026, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has explained why he decided against maintaining luxury properties outside Nigeria.
The billionaire businessman said he eventually gave up the idea of owning expensive homes abroad because it did not align with the disciplined lifestyle he wanted to maintain while expanding his business empire.
The 69-year-old industrialist spoke during a recent podcast interview with Nicolai Tangen, where he discussed his work ethic, personal discipline and business philosophy.
During the conversation, Mr Dangote highlighted the importance of staying focused on long-term investments rather than spending resources on maintaining luxury assets overseas.
According to him, staying in hotels whenever he travels outside the country has proven to be a more convenient and practical lifestyle.
He explained that using hotels allows him to concentrate fully on his business operations and industrial expansion instead of worrying about the upkeep of expensive foreign residences.
The President of the Dangote Group disclosed that he once owned luxury properties in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
He said he later sold those properties after deciding that his primary attention should remain on investing heavily in industries within Nigeria, a move he described as part of his long-term business strategy.
Mr Dangote stated that his business philosophy has always centred on discipline, commitment and continuous investment in productive sectors.
He explained that focusing on industrial growth in Nigeria became more important to him than maintaining high-end real estate abroad, especially as his companies continued expanding across several sectors of the economy.
The businessman, whose investments cover cement production, sugar refining, salt processing, fertiliser manufacturing, petrochemicals and oil refining, also warned that luxury real estate abroad could distract entrepreneurs from achieving larger ambitions.
He stressed that individuals pursuing major business goals must remain committed and avoid unnecessary diversions that could affect their focus.
Further explaining his discipline, Mr Dangote said that he does not mix business and pleasure. “People see that I work so hard, do you know why? It is because I take my business as my hobby. If I take my business as a joke, I won’t work this hard. I work so hard that I sleep by 11pm and wake up by 5am, then I go to the gym where I stay till 7:30am, and when I get to the office, I work like any other staff.”…….See More
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