Emmanuel Ikazoboh has been appointed as the new chairman of Dangote Cement following the retirement of founder Aliko Dangote, effective 25 July 2025.
Before he was appointed the new chairman, Ikazoboh was the independent non-executive director of Dangote Cement. He brings over four decades of experience spanning Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, and South Africa.
“We will continue to focus on the following key priorities: operational excellence, strategic expansion, sustainability, innovation, and community engagement,” said Ikazoboh.
Read also: Dangote Cement’s profit jumps nearly 3-fold as costs taper
Ikazoboh: From Deloitte to ARM Pensions and now Dangote Cement
Born on 30 April 1949, in Edo State, Ikazoboh holds an MBA in Financial Management and Marketing from the University of Manchester Business School.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in the UK, he began his professional career with Akintola Williams Deloitte in Nigeria before taking on regional leadership roles in Deloitte’s francophone offices in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire. He would later become chairman and CEO of Deloitte West and Central Africa, overseeing operations across multiple markets until his exit in 2009.
In 2010, Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) appointed Ikazoboh as interim administrator of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS). His tenure marked a pivotal period of regulatory and structural reforms, including revamps in listing requirements, corporate governance, and operational transparency aimed at restoring investor confidence during a period of market turbulence.
From 2014 to 2020, Ikazoboh served as the group chairman of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), where he guided board governance and expansion strategy across more than 30 countries.
He is the current chairman of ARM Pension Managers Limited, vice chairman of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Canada, and chairman of Tizeti Network Limited.
Experience meets progress
Ikazoboh’s experience and expertise come at a pivotal moment for Dangote Cement.
Dangote Cement Plc delivered a stellar financial performance in the first half of 2025, driven by disciplined cost management and rising cement demand across its key markets.
Revenue rose 17.70 percent year-on-year to a record N2.07 trillion—its highest ever, while cost of sales grew modestly by just 2.43 percent to N853.6 billion, boosting gross profit by 31.43 percent to N1.22 trillion.
Operating profit surged 47.02 percent to N811 billion, reflecting efficiency gains despite higher administrative expenses of N124.3 billion (+25.85 percent) and distribution costs of N322 billion (+5.56 percent). Notably, finance costs dropped sharply by 34.99 percent to N216.2 billion, largely due to reduced FX losses, further lifting profitability.
As a result, basic earnings per share soared by 173 percent to N30.74, underscoring strong shareholder value creation. Although cash and cash equivalents declined by 14.66 percent to N383.9 billion, the company maintained a solid balance sheet, with total assets growing 3.34 percent to N6.62 trillion and shareholders’ equity rising 2.09 percent to N2.22 trillion. The combination of robust topline growth, tighter cost control, and improved capital efficiency positions Dangote Cement for a record-breaking full-year performance.
Company’s shareholders and investors have shown excitement at this appointment, and while expectations are high, they are fully confident in Emmanuel Ikazoboh’s ability, given his wealth of experience and track record.
