BARD Santner Markets Incorporated, a local financial advisory and investment firm that facilitated Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote’s second visit to Zimbabwe, says the business magnate’s presence is a clear sign of progress in the country’s investment climate and growing economic stability.
Aliko Dangote’s net worth is estimated at between US$26.2 billion and US$30.6 billion as of November 2025, making him Africa’s richest individual. His fortune stems largely from his vast interests in oil refining, cement production and sugar manufacturing.
Mr Dangote first visited Zimbabwe in 2015 to explore opportunities in cement, coal mining and power generation. Bard Santner chief executive Senziwani Sikhosana, speaking on the sidelines of Mr Dangote’s meeting with President Mnangagwa at State House on Wednesday, admitted that previous engagements had not produced the desired results.
This time, however, Mr Dangote has signalled a renewed interest in Zimbabwe.
“We were very frank about what happened last time and said, ‘Look, things have changed, and we as financial advisors are getting involved.’ We will help structure the investments and ensure quick follow-through. Above all, it’s about the new dispensation — things have changed,” said Mr Sikhosana.
He added that Zimbabwe’s investment environment is now more stable, making it the right time for the Dangote Group to revisit its plans.
“We can’t be the only country without a Dangote investment. They are investing across Africa, and we are part of that continent, so they decided to give us another shot — and we are coming in as a team,” he said.
Dangote Industries Limited, based in Lagos, is a diversified conglomerate with interests spanning cement, flour, sugar, salt, pasta, beverages, fertiliser, real estate, oil and gas and logistics. Its operations include a massive oil refinery, petrochemical plant, and fertiliser complex in Nigeria, as well as ventures in 16 other African countries.
The group plans to invest over US$1 billion in Zimbabwe, targeting cement manufacturing, coal mining, power generation and fuel pipelines from Walvis Bay. Mr Sikhosana revealed that Zimbabwe had always been Mr Dangote’s preferred investment destination, even before Zambia.
“He wanted to start with Zimbabwe, but when he built in Zambia, it was an afterthought. Zimbabwe was the original plan. If someone had convinced him with the right structure, he was always going to look at Zimbabwe again,” he said.
Key areas under consideration include cement production — a move that could significantly reduce local prices — alongside power generation, coal mining, fertiliser manufacturing and sugar processing.
Mr Sikhosana noted that Bard Santner has spent the past three years creating frameworks for foreign direct investment.
“We are talking to investors from China, Germany and the United States. But we need to learn from this one to prove ourselves — whether we can actually put up a framework for foreign direct investment. We hope after this, people can then have a way of getting in, cutting out bureaucracy and doing the right things,” he said.
Mr Dangote recently emphasised, at an Afreximbank gathering, the importance of Pan-African investments and regional integration, leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to boost intra-African trade, industrialisation and value addition. Zimbabwe, as an active participant in AfCFTA, stands to benefit significantly from this vision.-herald
