Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s foremost entrepreneur has voiced his discontent over the restrictive travel regulations within the continent, revealing that his Nigerian passport requires an astonishing 35 visas to facilitate travel to various African countries, hindering his ability to conduct business and promote economic growth across the region.
The 67-year-old Nigerian Business Mogul has expressed his discontent to President Kagame regarding the stressful process of obtaining visas at embassies, highlighting the disparity in travel requirements faced by African business leaders like himself. He drew a contrast with the ease of travel enjoyed by Patrick Pouyanne, chairman of Total Energies, who holds a French passport and can access numerous African countries without the need for multiple visas.
Aliko Dangote urged Africans to unite and take ownership of their economic destiny, emphasizing that foreigners alone cannot drive the continent to achieve its respective goals. He stressed the critical need for Africans to prioritize regional economic integration, noting that the current intra-African trade rate of less than 16% is a stark reminder of the work that needs to be done to unlock the continent’s full potential.
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Aliko Dangote revealed that Nigeria is almost set to achieve self-sufficiency in petrol production by June, with the imminent launch of the Dangote refinery. This milestone will not only cater to Nigeria’s domestic demand for petrol but also extend to neighboring West African countries, effectively bridging the petrol supply gap in the region.
It is heartbreaking to know that Africa does not trust itself with opening her borders to one another. An European passport holder travels more countries in Africa than majority of African passport holders.