In tribute to Alhaji Aminu Dantata; a visionary who channeled heritage into impact and commerce into compassion. May his memory continue to inspire generations.
Alhaji Dantata passed away peacefully at age 94, in the early hours of Saturday, June 28, 2025, around 3 a.m. Nigeria time in Abu Dhabi hospital after a brief illness. His son’s secretary confirmed the family would announce Janazah (funeral) arrangements in due course.
His death symbolizes the passing of an era. As the last surviving child of Alhassan Dantata, Aminu carried forward a legacy of entrepreneurship, civic service, and philanthropy. His life bridged pre-independence commerce, post-colonial growth, and modern Nigerian development. Figures across sectors have mourned not just a business magnate but an elder statesman whose faithful service, economic, political, social, helped shape Northern Nigeria and the nation at large.
Survived by seven children and many grandchildren, his legacy is a life well spent. Aminu Dantata lived to see 94 years, witnessing Nigeria transform through colonialism, independence, dictatorships, and democracy. His journey from a family firm in Kano to Nigeria’s boardrooms and his enduring generosity reflect a life richly spent. His legacy is woven into the infrastructure, institutions, and entrepreneurial spirit that continue to drive Nigeria forward.
Who He Was & Background
Born on May 19, 1931 in Kano into the storied Dantata family, his father, Alhassan Dantata, was among West Africa’s richest merchants in the early 20th century, Aminu Dantata began life with both heritage and responsibility. He was the fifteenth of seventeen children and educated in Kano before joining the family business at age 17. After his father’s death in 1955, he rose through the ranks to become head of Alhassan Dantata & Sons by 1960.
Taking the helm during Nigeria’s post-independence era, Dantata diversified far beyond groundnuts. He built a vast empire spanning construction, real estate, banking, agriculture, manufacturing, petroleum, and gas. His key ventures included founding Express Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd and co-founding Jaiz Bank. His group’s contracts included building parts of the School of Aviation in Zaria and supplying foundational infrastructure across northern Nigeria.
Beyond business, Dantata held key official roles: he served in the Northern House of Assembly (1960–66), then as Kano State Commissioner for Planning and Development under Governor Audu Bako (1967–72). He played a part in Nigeria’s transition to the Second Republic as a member of the 1977–78 Constitution Drafting Committee. His influence also extended to founding the Kano State Foundation to support education and entrepreneurship.
As a devoted Muslim and public-spirited leader, Dantata has generously donated healthcare facilities, such as a hemodialysis center at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, and spearheaded educational causes, including serving as the first Chancellor of Al-Qalam University in Katsina. In September 2024, he gave ₦1.5 billion to flood victims in Borno State.
Governors from Nigeria’s north have described his passing as a “monumental national loss,” celebrating his vision, humility, and steadfast integrity.
The Naija Lowdown Writer 