I regret not buying Arsenal when it's value was $2 billion - Aliko Dangote

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has expressed regret over missing the opportunity to purchase Arsenal Football Club when its value was significantly lower.

Speaking with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua, Dangote explained that his focus on completing his refinery project led him to forgo buying the London club when it was valued at around $2 billion.

I think that time has passed... everything has gone up, and the club too is doing very well, he stated.

Reflecting on the missed opportunity, he added, Actually, I regret not buying it before... but my money was more needed in completing my project.

Despite his admiration for Arsenal, Dangote emphasised that purchasing the club now, valued at around $4 billion, would no longer make financial sense. However, he remains an ardent supporter of the team.

I will remain a major supporter of Arsenal but I don’t think it makes sense today to buy Arsenal, he concluded.

Dangote claims he has no residential property abroad

During a recent event in Nigeria, Dangote revealed that despite his immense wealth, he does not own any residential property outside Nigeria. His only homes are in Lagos and Kano, with a rented property in Abuja.

“The reason I don’t have a London or America house is solely because I wanted to focus on industrialisation in Nigeria, he stated. I am very passionate about the Nigeria dream and apart from my Lagos house, I have another one in my home state, Kano, and a rented one in Abuja.

“If I have houses all over, in America and co, I would not be able to concentrate and build something for my people,” he added.

Dangote has recently been in the spotlight due to the launch of his Dangote Refinery, which is currently producing diesel in Nigeria. This $19 billion investment, inaugurated in May 2023, will eventually have the capacity to produce 650,000 barrels per day. The refinery, spanning an area equivalent to 4,000 football fields, is situated in the Lekki Free Zone near Lagos, Nigeria.

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