Aminu Dantata: The Story of Nigeria’s Great Businessman and Philanthropist
Nigeria has lost one of its most successful businessmen and kindest philanthropists.
Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata passed away at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi. His death marks the end of an era for Nigerian business.
Dantata was not just rich – he was a man who built his wealth the right way and shared it quietly with those in need. In December 2022, he told people something surprising: “I no longer enjoy life.” He explained that most of his old friends had died, and he was just waiting for his time to come. These honest words showed that even with all his money, he understood what really mattered in life.
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Dantata’s story is like a Nigerian dream. His father, Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, was already a successful trader who shocked people in 1929 by bringing 20 camels loaded with silver coins to a bank in Kano. Aminu built on this strong foundation.
In 1967, when very few Nigerians owned cars, Dantata bought his first airplane. The next year, he sold it to buy a jet worth $2.5 million (about N4 billion today). His wealth didn’t disappear like some rich people’s money – it grew. By 2009, he bought another jet for $38 million!
But Dantata’s life wasn’t always easy. When he started in business, he sometimes had to use camels, donkeys and bicycles to move his goods because trucks weren’t reliable. “We would reach some areas and have to put the goods on donkeys,” he once explained. This hard work in his early years helped him understand business from the ground up.
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Dantata wasn’t just a businessman. He also served Nigeria in government. In the 1960s, he was elected to the House of Representatives. Later, from 1967 to 1972, he worked as Commissioner for Planning and Development in Kano State. Even after leaving government, many leaders sought his advice.
What made Dantata special was how he helped others without seeking attention. He built schools, mosques, and health centers. He supported orphans and widows. But he did most of this quietly, without wanting his name in the news. “The more you give others to enjoy, the more you enjoy,” he often said.
Unlike many rich Nigerians, Dantata refused to take traditional titles. His cousin, Dr. Munzali Dantata, explained that this was because Aminu wanted to stay humble, just like his father had been.
Dantata was part of an important group of Nigerian businessmen who helped build the country’s economy after independence. Others in this group included Alhaji Mai Deribe and Khalifah Isyaku Rabiu. Dantata outlived most of them, becoming a living connection to Nigeria’s business history.
President Bola Tinubu spoke for many Nigerians when he said Dantata’s death was “a monumental national loss.” The President praised him as “a prominent business mogul, patriot, and elder statesman who contributed significantly to our nation’s growth.”
Aminu Dantata showed that true success isn’t just about making money – it’s about what you do with that money and how you live your life.
