Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has highlighted major inefficiencies in Africa’s trade systems, saying it can be more expensive to ship goods from Lagos to Accra than from Spain to Nigeria.
Speaking in an interview with International Finance Corporation Managing Director Makhtar Diop, Dangote said weak transport systems and fragmented trade routes continue to undermine regional commerce across the continent.
He cited the high cost of moving goods within West Africa, explaining that intra-African trade remains significantly more expensive than international shipping routes. “It costs more to ship from Lagos port to Accra than from Spain to Lagos,” he said, warning that such conditions make regional trade unsustainable.
Dangote also pointed to logistical and administrative barriers, including visa restrictions and border delays, as major obstacles to doing business across Africa. He said the difficulty in obtaining multiple visas limits the ability of business leaders to move freely and invest across the continent.
The business magnate further noted that inefficient transport infrastructure and the dominance of non-African shipping operators continue to constrain economic integration. He argued that without addressing these structural challenges, Africa cannot achieve meaningful prosperity.
Dangote, who leads the Dangote Group, has major investments across cement, fertiliser, and energy sectors, including operations in multiple African countries. He stressed that initiatives such as his large-scale industrial projects depend heavily on improved regional trade systems.
He reiterated that free movement of people, goods, and services is essential for Africa’s economic transformation, urging governments to prioritise policies that make cross-border trade faster, cheaper, and more efficient.
