Business mogul and Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has reiterated his unflinching interest in Arsenal Football of England.
According to Dangote, when he is through with building the 650,000 bpd refinery that is expected to come on stream in 2017, he will have ‘enough time and enough resources’ to buy Arsenal football club, whatever the price.
Dangote, 58, is Africa’s richest man having amassed a fortune in the region of $18.4 billion (£12.2 billion). He is currently the 67th richest man in the world.
He had a few months ago announced he is interested in purchasing the London Club ‘one day.’
The Gunners as the club is alternatively called has huge follower ship in Nigeria, where worshiping the Premiership matches has become a religion.
Dangote said then that he hoped to buy the club, adding that he ‘already knew’ his strategy to take them forward.
That day may arrive sooner than first expected, with Dangote telling the BBC that completion of his proposed oil refinery in Nigeria will provide the funds necessary to launch a takeover of the club.
“When we get this refinery on track, I will have enough time and enough resources to pay what they are asking for,” he told BBC Hausa.
“There were a couple of us who were rushing to buy, and we thought with the prices then, the people who were interested in selling were trying to go for a kill,” Dangote continued.
“We backtracked, because we were very busy doing other things, especially our industrialisation.”
“They are doing well, but they need another strategic direction,” he added. “They need more direction than the current situation, where they just develop players and sell them.”
Stan Kroenke is Arsenal’s majority shareholder, with the American owning 66.64% of the club’s parent company, Arsenal Holdings plc.
