Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata 1931 – 2025

Nigeria once again lost one of its illustrious sons with the death of Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata on Saturday, June 28, 2025. His death came a few weeks after the deaths of Professor Jubril Aminu and Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais. He died in the United Arab Emirates after a brief illness at the age of […]

Nigeria once again lost one of its illustrious sons with the death of Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata on Saturday, June 28, 2025. His death came a few weeks after the deaths of Professor Jubril Aminu and Justice Muhammad Lawal Uwais.

He died in the United Arab Emirates after a brief illness at the age of 94.

The late Alhaji Aminu represented multiple facets of human endeavour in a single person. He was a businessman, a politician and an elder statesman, who contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria’s economy.

The late patriarch of the Alhassan Dantata family was born on Sunday, May 19, 1931, to the family of the business legend Alhassan Dantata. The 15th child of the 17 children, Alhaji Aminu acquired Islamic education at infancy. From 1938 to 1945, he attended Dala Primary School and finished his western education through home studies in a private school built by his father in 1949.

• Jubilation as Shinkafi Volunteer Forces kill Bandit Commander, Danbokolo
• Security operatives order PDP BoT members out of meeting hall

After his studies, he joined the family business, Alhassan Dantata & Sons, in 1948 as a produce buyer. In 1955, his father died, and the shares in the business were subsequently distributed to the children. In 1958, Dantata became the deputy managing director of the business while his brother Ahmadu, was the MD. When Ahmadu died in 1960, Dantata became the head of the business.

Over the years, Alhaji Aminu expanded the business holdings and his activities into various sectors of the Nigerian economic sphere, including construction, manufacturing and real estate. He, thus, became one of Nigeria’s versatile businessmen with businesses both within and outside the country.

In 1964, he was among the pioneer board members of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), now the Bank of Industry (BoI). In 1968, Dantata was appointed Kano State Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade and Industry under the administration of Audu Bako, he was in that position until 1973.

The late Aminu was also a politician. He contested and won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1961.

However, one thing that the late Kano businessman stood out in his life was his simplicity and generosity. Owning a personal jet in 1967 and houses in many countries, he could pass for any ordinary person in the street and was never known to hold any traditional title, which has become a symbol of the elite.

This much was reflected in the various condolence messages after his death.

In his condolence message, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said Dantata’s death was a monumental national loss because of his sterling contributions to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

Tinubu eulogised Dantata for his public-spirited philanthropy, which touched lives, especially in education and healthcare delivery.

“With the death of Alhaji Dantata, we lost a prominent business mogul, patriot and elder statesman who contributed significantly to the growth and development of our nation. Alhaji Dantata will be remembered for his industry, diligence, steadfastness, and great commitment to national unity through his many business ventures and philanthropic activities that touched countless lives of Nigerians,” the president said.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari said Dantata would be remembered for his “monumental legacy in philanthropy and entrepreneurship that reshaped the lives of people and business settings in the country and beyond.”

He said Dantata’s contributions to Islamic education, health, business and rural development would continue to inspire many people, both within and outside the country.

“The late billionaire, yet humble businessman, will be credited with providing a long, stable leadership to one of the oldest and respected business families in the country,” he said.

Vice President Kashim Shettima also said the country has lost an irreplaceable institution.

“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history,” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.

But more importantly, were the testimonies given by ordinary Nigerians who benefitted from the late business mogul’s mentorship and generosity.

“I am a mechanic operating in the Zoo Road business area. I have been occupying this 100 by 100 feet of land for many years, and the land, I was told, belongs to the late Aminu Dantata. For all these years, no one had ever approached me to pay rent or something like that. There are many places like this where people are earning their living without paying anything to Dantata. He had such a personality that encouraged self-reliance and discouraged idleness. We have never met him, and yet we have benefited from his wealth immensely,” Musa Shehu, a beneficiary, said of the deceased.

Alhaji Aminu’s guiding philosophy to wealth acquisition and usage and his deep regard for the welfare of his fellow human beings had gone on to shape his life and character. He was quoted in an interview with this newspaper in October 2023 that, “I pray to Allah not to give me what would not benefit others.”

We at the Daily Trust join millions of Nigerians and other sympathisers around the world in praying for the repose of the life of the deceased. May Allah grant him Aljannah Firdausi.