Africa’s richest billionaire, Aliko Dangote, has decried difficulties confronted by traders travelling on the African continent as he mentioned he wants totally different 35 visas on his Nigerian passport.
He mentioned he spoke concerning the Rwandan President Paul Kagame concerning the challenges which do nor exist in France.
Dangote disclosed this lately on the Africa CEO Discussion board Annual Summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
“I nonetheless complained to President Kagame. I instructed him that as an investor, I’ve to now apply for 35 totally different visas on my passport, and I instructed Mr. President, I actually do not have the time to go and be dropping my passports in embassies to get a visa,” he mentioned.
“However you see, essentially the most annoying factor is that sure, if you’re treating all people the identical, then I can perceive.”
Utilizing the French passport for instance, Dangote mentioned Patrick Pouyanne, chairman of Complete Energies, doesn’t want 35 visas on his French passport to achieve entry to African nations.
“You do not want 35 visas in your French passport. This implies you’ve gotten a freer motion than myself in Africa,” he mentioned.
Talking additional on companies inside Africa, he mentioned proper now, “Our most important job is to verify the regional markets all work. As soon as they work, then we will now go to Africa Continental Free Commerce Settlement (AfCFTA). However then, for AfCFTA additionally, we have to guarantee that it really works”.
“We can’t have a really promising continent and our intra-trade price is lower than 16 %. Okay, so we Africans must do it. If we’re ready for foreigners to come back and do it, each the event of Africa, it is not going to occur,” he mentioned.
“So it could possibly solely occur to us Africans. We should danger our sources and guarantee that we lead, then we may have individuals who really belief and consider in Africa like Patrick to come back and assist us to push to the subsequent degree.”