LAGOS, Nigeria β€” The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has called on the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute to take the lead in providing high-level leadership training for African presidents, prime ministers, governors, and senior policymakers across the continent. Dangote made the call during an engagement with the leadership of the institute and the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library during their high-profile visit to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery in Lagos. Describing the institute as a vital asset for Africa's development, Dangote noted that the continent is at a critical juncture where experiential leadership workshops are required to drive real national transformation. He emphasized that because the institution has former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other outstanding past African leaders at its core, it is uniquely positioned to bridge existing governance gaps. A Historic Intervention in the Cement Industry During the visit, former President Olusegun Obasanjo shared a previously undisclosed encounter with Dangote that fundamentally reshaped Nigeria's industrial landscape. Obasanjo recalled a conversation during his presidency when he questioned Dangote on why he continued to import cement despite Nigeria possessing vast limestone deposits. Dangote told me honestly that it was more profitable to import and sell than to produce locally, Obasanjo stated. I then asked him what it would take for him to produce cement locally, because I wanted to learn from him and understand what was required to achieve what Nigeria needed. Reflecting on that strategic conversation, Dangote credited Obasanjo's policy mapping as the ultimate catalyst that altered the trajectory of his conglomerate. That single intervention enabled the expansion of domestic cement manufacturing, ultimately transforming Nigeria from a dependent importer into a self-sufficient powerhouse. Today, Nigeria produces more cement than Saudi Arabia and stands as the largest producer of cement in Africa and the Middle East, Dangote revealed. He explained that this success has extended to manufacturing plants in Ghana, Cameroon, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Driving Governance and Measurable Results Dangote urged current African policymakers to view continuous learning as a non-negotiable tool for statecraft, noting that the practical, real-world lessons from Nigeria's industrial transition are exactly what the institute should be teaching to modern leaders to spur regional cooperation and economic growth. Responding on behalf of the institute, the Deputy Chief Executive of the organization, Professor Samuel Adedeji Daramola, commended the massive economic footprint of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. Representing the Director-General, retired Lieutenant General Martin Luther Agwai, Professor Daramola re-emphasized the institute's core mandate to raise African leaders who deliver measurable results. The institute has assembled a global faculty consisting of seasoned diplomats, academics, and distinguished practitioners to address complex governance and peacebuilding challenges. Backed by world-class curriculum frameworks, the management affirmed its readiness to serve as the premier continental hub for transformational leadership.