When Bob Marley said: 'Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery. None but ourselves can free our minds.' He perfectly understood that, the greatest impediment to Africa's development is mental slavery. An African man has been erroneously conditioned that without attending universities in the Western countries, his success in life would be limited. Attending university in Africa or outside is not a strong predictor of lifetime success; what determines one's success in life is how often one comes across opportunities. Africa, being a developing continent, a frontier market it is a land full of underutilised and undiscovered opportunities.


If you cannot see an opportunity around you, then create one. How do you create opportunity? Look for a local problem, then try to solve it, by so doing you will create economic opportunities for yourself and others.


Aliko Dangote was born into a rich family, his parents could afford to send him to a university in a Western country, however Dangote, chose to study at Al-Azhar University, Cairo. At age of 21 Dangote bagged a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies and Administration.


In 2017 as a passionate Pan-Africanist he lamented how cumbersome visa regimes among African countries limit intra-African migration, trade and investment. “Despite the size of our group, I need 38 visas to move around Africa” says Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Group. His concerns about hindrances to intra-Africa migration must have inspired the initiation of an agreement on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in 2018.


For six years consecutively, Aliko Dangote was listed by Forbes as the "Most Powerful Man in Africa" (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018,). In addition, in 2014, CNBC listed Dangote among "Top 25 Businessmen in the World" who changed and shaped the century. Dangote Group, has an estimated net worth of US$21 billion based on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of May 2022. Below are 4 key lessons for African youths seeking to be great.



Africa is the main market of Dangote business investments. While some Africans have invested in transnational companies with headquarters in the Global North, Dangote created a truly pan-African transnational company catering to the needs of Africans at home and in the diaspora. If you have been thinking of starting a business in Africa, then you following Dangote's footsteps.


In his school days at Cairo, he met with people who are today his business associates and partners. University is the place where we network and build relationships that we would leverage on later in life. My first consultancy job with the International Organization for Migration, came through a friend I met while at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, who generously recommended me for the job. It is said yours network is your net worth.


Dangote understands from the start that Africa being a 'developing' continent, is in need of more job creators than job seekers. He understands that more opportunities would be opening in Africa than in developed countries, where we have already established businesses. In the developed countries, a businessman would have to compete with existing businesses that have been in existence for years; however in developing countries one is likely to be the pioneer and therefore have the advantage of serving an under-served market. Essentially, every societal problem is a market opportunity, in a developing country. For instance, in Nigeria the huge housing deficits across the county have opened up the flourishing housing sector in the country.


Dangote understands that Africa's development can not be driven by government alone; local and private iinvestors have important roles to play. Sometimes, Africans have unrealistic expectations from their leaders, and therefore expect leaders to solve all existential problems such as food, clothing and housing. Dangote focuses on core areas that relate to basic needs. He is investing in sugar and salt refining, noodles manufacturing, real estate and cement manufacturing production. He is now diversifying into fertilizer production as well as into the oil sector, with his gigantic oil refinery under construction in Lagos.


While some Africans, in their bid to escape 'poverty' are risking their lives traveling through the Sahara Desert with the false hope of reaching Europe by crossing the Mediterranean Sea, more and more young Chinese are coming to Africa to tap into abundant economic opportunities. It all depends on what you see. As it said in computer programming, what-you-see-is-what-you-get - WYSIWYG. What are you seeing in Africa poverty or untapped prosperity? Please share your comment below.


Quick Facts about Egypt


Independence: Egypt became independent on 28 February 1922, via unilateral declaration of independence from British rule. It attained full independence in 1956 after Egypt gained full ownership and control of the Suez Canal.


Work and Study Opportunities: International students could find jobs at restaurants or other places, however it is advisable for international students to possess digital skills such as: video coding, website development, video editing, graphics design, data analysis and other skills needed to work remotely. With these skills you could be working remotely via Upwork, Fiverr, or PeoplePerHour, while studying. Also, you could earn income as a social media content creator working as a blogger, vlogger, copywriter or freelance writer.


Currency: Egyptian currency is among the strongest on the African continent, 1 United States Dollar equals 18.69 Egyptian Pound.


Language(s): Arabic is the official language in Egypt, however most Egyptians are polyglots because of the influence of both France and Britain. If you don't speak Arabic, no problem, most educated Egyptians speak the English language or French in addition to Arabic. For instance, the first African to become the UN Secretary General was an Egyptian, Dr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, he was a polyglot, he spoke Arabic, French and English fluently.


If you are considering attending a university in Egypt at undergraduate or postgraduate levels these are 7 Cheapest Universities in Egypt for International Students


1. The American University of Cairo (AUC)

2. Mansoura University

3. German University in Cairo (GUC)

4. British University (BUE)

5. Arab Academy for Sciences, Technology and Maritime Transport (AASTMT)

6. Modern Sciences and Arts Academy (MSA)

7. Misr University for Science and Technology (MIU)

Join us at www.doityourselfimmigration.org to read amazing immigration articles, learn more, and connect.

You are right. Egypt is good. And Dangote is making money in Africa because he is Afrocentric.

right