Dangote in no show

Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote is not part of the ongoing 2015 Malawi Investment Forum (MIF) as earlier announced, The Nation has learnt.

Dangote, with an estimated net worth of $18.6 billion (over 8 trillion) as of January 2015, was ranked 67th richest person in the world by Forbes Magazine. He was expected to attend the two-day forum and reportedly confirmed his attendance, according to principal secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade Cliff Chiunda during a recent news conference in Lilongwe.

However, on Monday, Dangote, a Nigerian national, was conspicuously missing despite being featured on the programme that he would make a speech Monday morning during the official opening of the high-level forum.

President Peter Mutharika officially opened the MIF, the first for Malawi on local soil.

Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (Mitc) officials were tight-lipped on Dangote’s whereabouts.

But one event planner, Roger Martin, said Dangote had confirmed his attendance at the forum on Sunday night.

“I believe he [Dangote] is not here for security reasons. He is, however, extraordinarily a busy man. His time is limited and I hope his schedule could not allow him to come,” said Martin, who also organised the Malawi Investment Forum in London two years ago.

According to Forbes Magazine, Dangote made his fortune in cement, sugar and flour investments.

Dangote’s publicly traded Dangote Cement is also getting new markets in Africa, with $750 million in new plants planned for Kenya and Niger, according to the magazine.

Other high-profile foreign dignitaries attending the forum include Southern African Development Community (Sadc) executive secretary Stergomena Tax, Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (Opic) vice-president James Polan and Admassu Tadesse, who is PTA Bank chief executive officer.

Over 130 international delegates from 31 countries are part of the forum.