Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has praised the Wednesday ‘s N0vember 27th grand opening of Zenith Bank in Paris, France, as a symbol of national pride to Nigeria.
His words, “This bank that you have opened here is not only for you but for all of us as Nigerians,” one of the world’s richest men enthused during his brief address at the ceremony marking the start of Zenith Bank’s operations in France.
He directed the remark to the chairman and founder of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, as well as the board of directors and management of the leading financial institution.
He added, “So I want to congratulate you for making all of us proud. I say thank you very much, and God bless.”
Dangote spoke on behalf of major contributors to the Nigerian economy, with representatives such as BUA Group chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, also present at the event.
“Without the likes of Zenith Bank and other Nigerian banks, as a group, there is no way we can dream of being what we are today. So I want to thank you for giving us all the support,” the industrialist further stressed.
He noted that, with the support of Zenith Bank and other financial institutions, the nation’s key financiers can leverage President Tinubu’s economic reforms to undertake more high-impact projects.
Among other major investments across various sectors, Dangote is the chief sponsor of Dangote Refinery, the world’s largest single-train refinery, with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Speaking on the potential of this latest expansion, which further extends Zenith Bank’s global footprint, Dangote declared,
“This will actually expand the scope of your revenues, of your profitability. And I have no doubt, the way that I know Zenith Bank,” he stated.
Widely acknowledged as an industry leader, the launch of Zenith Bank’s newest branch abroad adds to its far-reaching impact in places outside Africa such as the United Kingdom, China, and the United Arab Emirates.
The bank, founded in 1990 by Jim Ovia, is regarded as Nigeria’s most profitable financial institution. It is known for being the highest dividend payer for the past five years and ranking number one by tier-1 capital for the past fifteen years.