Aliko Dangote shares his regret over missing the opportunity to buy Arsenal Football Club for $2 billion, as his resources were committed to completing the Dangote Refinery project. Learn more about his reflection and current stance.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has shared his regret over not purchasing Arsenal Football Club when its valuation was approximately $2 billion. Speaking during an interview in New York, the Nigerian billionaire explained how his commitment to the $20 billion Dangote Refinery project prevented him from acquiring the English football club at the time.
In his remarks, Dangote admitted, “I think that time has passed. When I had this interview previously, I mentioned that after completing my refinery, I would try to buy Arsenal. However, everything, including the club’s value, has risen significantly. Now, Arsenal is doing very well.”
Reflecting on his missed chance, Dangote added, “I regret not buying it earlier. The club was worth $2 billion at the time, but I needed to focus on completing my refinery project. It was a tough choice between finishing the refinery or purchasing Arsenal.”
Now that the club value has soared to around $4 billion, Dangote has shelved his ambition of owning the North London club. He also acknowledged that acquiring Arsenal at this point wouldn’t make financial sense, stating, “I don’t have that kind of excess liquidity to buy a club for $4 billion.”
Despite stepping back from his bid to acquire Arsenal, Dangote affirmed his continued support for the team as a dedicated fan. “I watch all their matches and will remain a passionate supporter of the club,” he said.
Back in 2020, Dangote had declared his intention to buy Arsenal after the completion of his refinery. However, with the project demanding significant financial resources, the timing wasn’t right.
The business mogul, who founded Dangote Group — the largest conglomerate in West Africa — also touched on his decision to prioritize his refinery over Arsenal, stating that his financial resources were more urgently required to complete the project.
With Arsenal’s increasing success and its current market valuation, Dangote believes the opportunity to own the club has passed, but his passion for Arsenal remains unwavering.
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