Renowned businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, is dead.
He was aged 94.
Aminu Dantata’s death was confirmed on Friday night by his Personal Private Secretary (PPS), Mustapha Abdullahi Junaid.
“Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. It is with heavy heart that I announce the passing of our beloved father, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata.
“May Allah grant him Jannatul Firdaus and forgive his shortcomings. The Janazah details will be shared later, insha Allah,” Junaid wrote.
The funeral prayer (Salatul Janazah) for the late Dantata is scheduled to hold by 2:00 pm at Umar Bin Khattab Mosque, Gyadi-Gyadi, Kano, according to Malam Ibrahim Khalil, Chairman of the Kano Council of Ulama.
Born into the legendary Dantata family of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Dantata was the son of Alhassan Dantata, one of West Africa’s wealthiest men in the early 20th century.
He not only upheld his family’s legacy but expanded it significantly over several decades, becoming a towering figure in Nigeria’s commercial, religious, and philanthropic spheres.
Aminu Dantata’s business interests spanned a wide range of sectors including construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and oil and gas.
Under his leadership, the Dantata business empire flourished and became a cornerstone of Nigeria’s private sector growth.
He also held numerous positions in both the public and private sectors, mentoring generations of entrepreneurs, policymakers, and civic leaders.
Despite his immense wealth and influence, Dantata remained widely respected for his modesty, religious devotion, and unwavering commitment to community development.
His philanthropic legacy includes the establishment and funding of schools, mosques, health centres, orphanages, and support for widows and the underprivileged across Nigeria, particularly in the northern region.
