Dangote lauds Tinubu’s forex policy despite losing $3bn

Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group, has hailed President Bola Tinubu’s policies on subsidy removal and the elimination of multiple foreign exchange (FX) rates.

Tinubu had promised to work towards the removal of petrol subsidy and a unified exchange rate system in his inaugural speech on May 29.

Two weeks after the speech, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced the unification of all segments of the FX market.

The development shrunk all FX windows into the investors & exporters (I&E) window, allowing the naira to float — a trading system where the FX rate is determined by buyers and sellers.

Introduced seven years after the CBN made a similar move in 2016, the new policy caused a ripple effect in the market, leading to further depreciation of an already battered local currency.

On Thursday, TheCable reported that Aliko Dangote lost $3.12 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index (BBI).

It was learnt that changes in the foreign exchange markets occasioned by the recent floating of the naira may have contributed to the billionaires’ losses.

But the business mogul, who visited the president on Monday, said Tinubu’s policies will be better for everyone.

“All is great and things are going well and we also congratulated the president on the removal of subsidy,” the billionaire said.

“I think he is doing a great job. I expect that it’s going to be better for everybody. There will be more money now to put into education, health, infrastructure, and other areas and our role is to help support him to make sure he achieves his vision.”

Dangote also explained that he visited Aso Villa with Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to inform him of what they plan to do in Nigeria.

“Our visit was a courtesy call. Bill Gates and I came in to congratulate the president for his successful election and also to brief him on what Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Aliko Dangote Foundation have been doing in Nigeria,” he said.

“And also to show our commitment to do more and to help Nigerians so that our health sector will be better for everyone.

“Nigerians have been getting quite a lot from both foundations, and we expect more from the government in teams of cooperation and we will also do more from our side.”