By Ade Iyamoye
Amid mounting political opposition and growing public debate on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s performance since he assumed office, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has public endorsement reinforces confidence in the administration’s developmental strides and counters narratives that the government has made little or no impact.
Dangote applauded Tinubu’s transformative leadership, commending his interventions in infrastructural development and environmental resilience, particularly the landmark Bar Beach land reclamation project in Victoria Island, Lagos.
In a rare open letter, made public through Thisday newspaper, Dangote described the Bar Beach initiative, which led to the creation of Eko Atlantic City, as a visionary move that ended years of ocean surges and flooding in one of Nigeria’s most economically vital districts.
He said, “This project… has transformed a coastline once prone to incessant floods into an emerging new district with a defining skyline and a magnet for direct investment and socioeconomic growth.”
Dangote highlighted the 1,000-hectare city, protected by an 8.5km sea wall and constructed through sand dredging from the Atlantic Ocean, as one of Tinubu’s enduring legacies; now home to residences, businesses, and recreational spaces.
He stressed that those living in Victoria Island have greatly benefitted from the vision first conceived by Tinubu in 2008.
The industrialist drew global parallels, likening Tinubu’s foresight to land reclamation efforts in the Netherlands, where submerged land was successfully transformed into habitable terrain.
Dangote also used the opportunity to slam critics who question the President’s impact over the last two years. He contrasted the opposition’s narrative with what he described as tangible achievements, most notably, the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry superhighway projects, both of which he said have revived Nigeria’s ageing infrastructure plans.
“Mr. President, you added another feat by kickstarting the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway and the Sokoto-Badagry superhighway, significantly enriching the country’s stock of infrastructure while improving the national road network,” he wrote.
As a further show of support and commitment to climate resilience, Dangote announced that the Aliko Dangote Foundation will soon launch a Climate Fund targeting vulnerable flood-prone communities across Nigeria.
He then offered prayers for Tinubu’s continued wisdom and success, stating that his leadership is enabling a “more prosperous nation for the collective good.”
“Thank you very much, Asiwaju!” Dangote signed off, in a strong note of affirmation.
