Madinah, Saudi Arabia | July 1, 2025 — Renowned Nigerian business mogul and elder statesman, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, was laid to rest on Monday in the sacred city of Madinah, Saudi Arabia, drawing a wave of tributes from high-ranking Nigerian officials, traditional rulers, and dignitaries across the world.
The solemn burial ceremony, conducted near the revered Prophet’s Mosque, was attended by a Federal Government delegation, billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote, and several prominent northern emirs. The interment followed Islamic rites in one of the holiest locations in the Muslim world, symbolising the late Dantata’s deeply spiritual life.
Leading the federal delegation was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, who conveyed the condolences of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Nigerian people to the Dantata family. Tuggar described the late patriarch as a towering figure whose influence spanned business, philanthropy, and Islamic scholarship.
“Alhaji Dantata was not only a businessman of extraordinary vision but also a devout Muslim and a generous philanthropist. His death is a great loss to the nation,” Tuggar remarked during the funeral.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, who is widely regarded as a protégé of the deceased, was visibly emotional at the burial. He praised Dantata’s enduring legacy in commerce and service to humanity. “He taught us that true wealth lies in giving and in faith. Nigeria has lost a rare gem,” Dangote said.
Also present were prominent traditional leaders, including the Emir of Kano, Emir of Zazzau, and other dignitaries who offered prayers for the deceased and praised his lifetime of contributions to Nigeria’s economic and social development.
Alhaji Aminu Dantata, a scion of the illustrious Dantata family in Kano, was a pioneer in Nigerian and West African commerce. Beyond business, he was widely respected for his quiet yet impactful philanthropy and his support for Islamic education and humanitarian causes. His life was defined by discipline, generosity, and deep religious commitment.
His passing in the holy land during the Hajj season, and burial in Madinah, is viewed by many Muslims as a mark of divine honour. The ceremony was marked by dignity, simplicity, and reverence, reflecting the values the late Dantata embodied.
As condolences continue to pour in from leaders, business figures, and ordinary Nigerians, the legacy of Alhaji Aminu Dantata remains firmly rooted in the nation’s memory, a symbol of integrity, enterprise, and devotion.