Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has expressed his regret for not purchasing English football club Arsenal when its valuation was around $2 billion. In an interview with Bloomberg’s Francine Lacqua, the President and CEO of Dangote Group revealed that his commitment to the Dangote refinery project prevented him from acquiring the club at a lower price.
Dangote, a longtime fan of Arsenal, had previously expressed interest in buying the North London club. However, as the club’s valuation has now risen to around $4 billion and with Arsenal performing exceptionally well, he believes it no longer makes financial sense to pursue the acquisition.
Reflecting on his decision, Dangote said, “I regret not buying it before, but my resources were more needed for the refinery project than for Arsenal.” Although his dream of owning the club has passed, he remains a devoted fan, continuing to follow Arsenal closely.
In 2020, Dangote had publicly stated his intention to acquire Arsenal after completing his refinery, but he has since set aside those ambitions, focusing on his business ventures.
