The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has challenged recent remarks by Vice President Kashim Shettima, insisting that Kano, not Lagos, nurtured the business foundations of Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and billionaire industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu.
Sanusi made the remarks while addressing members of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of Nigeria (ICSAN), where he underscored Kano’s long-standing reputation as a commercial hub and a cradle of entrepreneurial success.
According to the Emir, both Dangote and Rabiu emerged from Kano’s deep-rooted trading tradition before expanding their business empires across Nigeria and beyond.
“These businessmen went to Lagos to expand their businesses and learn from the commercial environment there, not to learn how to do business from the beginning,” Sanusi said.
He noted that Kano has historically produced generations of successful merchants and entrepreneurs, arguing that the state’s commercial heritage played a significant role in shaping some of Africa’s most prominent business figures.
The Emir’s comments are widely seen as a response to remarks made by Shettima during the Invest Lagos Summit 3.0 on Monday.
At the summit, the Vice President praised Lagos State’s economic environment and leadership, stating that Lagos was responsible for producing Africa’s richest individual.
“Lagos produced Africa’s richest man, not Kano. Aliko Dangote is a Lagos boy. Likewise, it was not Kano that produced Africa’s second-richest man, Abdul Samad Rabiu,” Shettima said.
The Vice President made the statement while emphasising Lagos State’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy and its role in fostering private-sector growth and wealth creation.
Sanusi’s response has since sparked renewed debate over the respective contributions of Kano and Lagos to the development of some of Nigeria’s most influential business leaders, reflecting a broader discussion about the country’s commercial history and economic identity.
By Kabeer Bello
