Aminu Dantata transformed a family trading business into a diversified conglomerate spanning petroleum, real estate, and finance, shaping Nigerias industrial landscape.
As Jaiz Banks founding sponsor, he introduced non-interest banking to Nigeria, advancing financial inclusion while holding a 16.19 stake in the institution.
Through investments like Express Petroleum and Raleigh Industries, Dantata expanded operations across diverse sectors, driving growth for decades.
On June 28, 2025 , Nigeria lost one of its most enduring business figures, Aminu Dantata, who passed away at the age of 94. A respected industrialist and philanthropist, he belonged to a generation that witnessed, and helped shape, the economic history of modern Nigeria.
As an uncle to Africas richest man, Aliko Dangote, Dantatas career ran parallel to the countrys rise as a regional economic force. Born in 1931 in the commercial hub of Kano, Aminu was one of the sons of Alhassan Dantata, once the wealthiest man in West Africa.
He grew up in the heart of a trading dynasty, learning the ropes of commerce from an early age. But while he inherited a strong foundation, he carved his own pathmoving beyond groundnut trading to build one of Nigerias most quietly influential business empires.
Over the span of several decades, Dantata developed and led companies that touched nearly every corner of the Nigerian economy: construction, agriculture, oil and gas, manufacturing, transportation, banking, and more. His businesses not only created thousands of jobs but also provided the backbone for infrastructure and services in both northern Nigeria and beyond.
Yet his influence wasnt limited to boardrooms or balance sheets. He played advisory roles in public service and lent his voice to causes that aimed to improve education, health care, and access to capital. He was also a mentor, quiet but impactful, to a younger generation of Nigerian entrepreneurs and public leaders.