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Halima Dangote: Family-Owned Businesses driving global economic success

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Family-owned businesses (FOBs) can continue to drive economic success, create value for shareholders, and positively impact their communities worldwide by staying true to their core values and adopting strategic practices that prioritise long-term growth, efficiency, and resilience. This was part of the submission made by Halima Aliko-Dangote, Group Executive Director of Dangote Industries Limited, during the Forbes Global CEO Conference in Bangkok, Thailand.

Halima, who is also the Executive Director, Family Office, spoke at the panel session on Family Business: Looking at the Next Frontier, opined that family-owned businesses have demonstrated exceptional resilience, navigating challenges and thriving over multiple decades.  Other speakers include Carolyn Choo, Managing Director and CEO of Worldwide Hotels; Rose Damen, Managing Director of Damen Yachting, third-generation family shareholder of Damen Shipyards Group; and Caroline Link, Co-Chairman of B.GRIMM Pharma, President of B. Grimm Joint Venture, and Board Member of B. Grimm Power.

She stated that  success in family-owned businesses starts with shared values, goals, governance policies and alignment adding that reputation is part of Family Capital. According to her, governance structure, adherence to core values, customer satisfaction, optimization of shareholder value, meritocracy, integrity, leadership, brand equity, diversification/growth, philanthropy and preserving generational wealth play key roles to the success of our businesses.

She opined that Dangote Group’s governance policies do not allow board and management to operate in silos as each business unit have at least three independent directors that will give a holistic view.

Speaking on other factors of success for Dangote Group, Halima emphasized, “We family-owned businesses have to stick to our tradition of asset rich-cash moderate or as my father will correct me, asset rich-cash poor. We as Dangote perpetuate a profitable business with strong values and strong governance structure. We make money while building our nation by contributing heavily to the global economy, creating massive jobs, thinking of our great grand kids and contributing  excessively to humanity.”

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Highlighting the significant contribution of FOBs to the global economy, Halima noted that studies by Mckinsey showed  that they account for more than 70% of global GDP, generate annual turnovers of between $60 trillion and $70 trillion, and provide around 60% of global employment. She stressed the crucial role these businesses play in creating jobs, sustaining communities, and driving development in sectors such as manufacturing, education, healthcare, and infrastructure across the world.

“Family-owned businesses (FOBs) have proven to be resilient, weathering challenges and thriving across multiple decades. Despite facing external pressures, many FOBs not only survive but also grow, contributing significantly to the global economy in ways that are often underestimated or overlooked,” she said.

She also pointed out that family-owned businesses often employ two key approaches in preparing the next generation for leadership roles: internal and external capacity building. Regarding internal capacity building, Halima explained that many families create internship programmes for young family members interested in taking over the business or assuming leadership positions.

In Nigeria, we  train the next generation so they can grow organically  to  leadership roles in family businesses. My dad’s approach is for you to start from ground up knowing you will get to leadership role if you work hard and do your job right. These experiences  make it easier for you to learn the ropes and be prepared for leadership role in the future,” she said.

On external capacity building, Halima discussed the practice of sending younger generations to work in non-family businesses. This approach enables them to acquire new skills, learn better processes, and gain diverse perspectives that can benefit the family business in the long run adding that she started her career as an Analyst at KPMG before joining Dangote Industries Limited.

The approach she explained “removes the familiarity tag as the young generation got employed as other people and supervised to monitor their performance. This has been a common avenue business families have chosen to pursue for many years, having their next generation spend three to five years working outside the family business before eventually joining with a new set of skills and business knowledge.”

Addressing the challenges of succession planning, Halima emphasised the importance of involving the younger generation in the business early on. She suggested that this creates a space for open communication, where the next generation can share their thoughts, ideas, and aspirations, while the senior generation provides critical information to help the next leaders make informed decisions.

She stressed the need for a balance between tradition and innovation in family-owned businesses. While tradition provides continuity and stability, she noted that innovation is vital to staying relevant and competitive in the modern marketplace.

“Successful family businesses recognise the need to adapt to changing consumer preferences, technological advancements, and market trends. Family businesses often have a wealth of experience and deep-rooted traditions. They can also benefit from external expertise and fresh perspectives,” she concluded.

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Arewa Rents Charts a Digital Future for Northern Nigeria’s Property Market”

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Arewarents.com, a property marketplace startup focused on Northern Nigeria, is positioning itself to transform how people rent, buy, and access short-let properties across the region through technology and innovation.

The startup pitched its idea today at the first Kano Startup Weekend, an event organized by the Kano State Information and Communication Technology Development Agency (KASITDA). The event brought together startups, investors, mentors, and ecosystem leaders to showcase emerging solutions addressing real market challenges.

At the pitch, Arewa Rents presented its vision of building a centralized digital platform for property rentals, sales, and short-lets, designed specifically for the Northern Nigerian market. According to the Founder of Arewa Rents, Anas Y. Yusuf, the goal is to “create a single trusted platform where people can easily find verified properties without relying on scattered and unreliable sources.”

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Northern Nigeria’s real estate market remains largely informal, with property listings scattered across social media, local agents, and offline networks. This fragmentation creates inefficiencies, limits visibility for property owners and agents, and makes it difficult for renters and buyers to access verified properties in one trusted place.

Addressing this gap, Anas Y. Yusuf noted that Arewa Rents is “leveraging technology to bring structure, transparency, and trust into the property market, while making it easier for agents and landlords to reach serious clients.”

Arewa Rents is developing a technology-driven property marketplace that aggregates verified listings for homes, apartments, shops, and short-stay properties. The platform is designed to connect renters, buyers, agents, developers, and landlords more efficiently, while improving transparency in property transactions.

As the startup continues to build and scale its platform, Anas Y. Yusuf emphasized that the long-term mission is “to make property renting, buying, and short-let access in Northern Nigeria more efficient and accessible through a trusted digital marketplace.”

With its regional focus and marketplace-driven approach, Arewa Rents is emerging as a startup positioned to play a key role in the digital transformation of Northern Nigeria’s real estate sector.

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News Analysis: Wike in the Wilderness as Fubara Dines with the APC

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

On Friday, December 12, 2025, the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, was issued the membership card of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC).

The party’s membership card issuance took place at the Rivers State government house, and it marks the official transitioning of governor Fubara to the fold of the ruling party, APC.

Speaking during the officiating, governor Fubara expressed joy, stating that President Tinubu’s vision will now be shared with the state.

“To everything under the sun, there is a time and season and I am happy today that I formally obtained the membership card of the APC.

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This primarily, is to align our dear state with the ruling party at the centre, with a firm belief in Mr President and the Renewed Hope Agenda to rapidly contribute to the growth, stability and development of Rivers State,” Fubara said.

The sudden and shocking defection of governor Fubara from the PDP to APC has been one of the top trending national discourse recently.

Netizens have proclaimed the “use and dump” tactics on Wike, saying that the presidency no longer see value in him.

Unverified reports have it that the FCT Minister might not make it to the next administration of President Tinubu if he gets re-elected since they’re now with governor Fubara, who commands the leadership of APC in the State now.

Also, rumors have it that Wike tried all he could to sabotage the defection of governor Fubara into the All Progressives Congress, but all to no avail.

Consequently, people have been inquisitive:

1. Will Wike now Join APC in order to wield state supremacy?
2. Will he work for or against the very APC he worked for during 2023 presidential election?
3. If he doesn’t join the APC, will 2027 be the end of his political relevance?

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FG Bans New SS3 Admissions Nationwide to Fight Exam Malpractice

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

 

The Federal Government has announced a nationwide ban on the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in both public and private secondary schools, effective from the 2026/27 academic session.

The directive was disclosed in a statement signed by Boriowo Folasade, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, as part of efforts to curb examination malpractice and restore credibility to Nigeria’s education system.

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According to the ministry, the decision follows growing concerns over widespread examination malpractices, including the use of so-called special centres during external examinations. Under the new policy, student admissions and transfers will be permitted only into Senior Secondary School One (SS1) and Senior Secondary School Two (SS2).

“Admission or transfer into SS3 will no longer be permitted under any circumstance,” the ministry stated.

Officials explained that the measure is intended to prevent last-minute movement of students for examination advantages, ensure proper academic monitoring, and promote continuity in teaching and learning.

School proprietors, principals, and administrators across the country have been directed to comply strictly with the policy, with the ministry warning that violations will attract sanctions in line with existing education regulations.

The statement reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to upholding academic standards, promoting fairness, and restoring confidence in public examinations nationwide.

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