Dangote recalls that the first billboard he saw in Grenada was of Burna Boy, and he urges Nigerians to talk about ambassadors like the singer.
Aliko Dangote, Africa's richest man, has praised Grammy-winning Afrobeats star Burna Boy as one of Nigeria's positive global ambassadors. On Monday, 19 October 2026, the tycoon spoke to attendees at the Dangote Vision 2030 gathering, which focused on speeding up industrialisation across Africa.
Speaking at the event, Dangote recalled his first trip to Grenada. "The first time I went to Grenada, the first billboard that I saw was Burna Boy," he said.
Rather than dwelling on negative portrayals of Nigerians abroad, he pushed for a different public conversation, one that gives space to figures like the singer. He made the point in one line:
"These are our ambassadors, and this is what we need to be talking about."
He then turned to coverage of Nigerians abroad. "We should not be talking about somebody in Nigeria who was caught with drugs elsewhere," he said. He added that other countries have such problems too, but that some Nigerians "over blow these issues to demarket ourselves."
Burna Boy and Dangote are not strangers. Back in 2025, the pair turned up together at an Iftar dinner held during Ramadan, where the musician was watched greeting the tycoon with clear warmth and respect.
Social media users were quick to celebrate the remarks. One X user, @Stepheniswicked, wrote: "Burna boy is the face of African music globally." Dangote's comments have been widely shared online.
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