Aliko Dangote appointed Grand Patron of Global Entrepreneurship Festival 2026

The Global Entrepreneurship Festival, GEF, has appointed Africa’s foremost industrialist and President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as its Grand Patron.

The appointment was formally presented during a visit by the GEF Board to Alhaji Dangote, where the delegation also honoured the business leader with a special recognition for his contributions to entrepreneurship, business development and economic transformation across Africa.

The engagement and eventual appointment were facilitated through the efforts of Dr Elizabeth Jack-Rich, Vice Chairman of the Global Entrepreneurship Festival, who played a central role in fostering the relationship and bringing the GEF leadership and Alhaji Dangote together.

Her involvement reflects the Festival’s broader commitment to connecting established African business leaders with the next generation of entrepreneurs and positioning African enterprise more prominently within the global entrepreneurship ecosystem.

The delegation, led by the President of the Global Entrepreneurship Festival, Dr Summy Smart Francis, described Dangote’s appointment as a significant addition to the global entrepreneurship movement, given his decades of experience building businesses and investing across key sectors of the African economy.

With Alhaji Dangote serving as Grand Patron, GEF seeks to deepen its engagement with business leaders, investors and institutions capable of expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and strengthening enterprise-led economic development across Africa and beyond.

The Global Entrepreneurship Festival is positioning its 2026 edition in Egypt, scheduled for November 6–8, as a major international gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, innovators, policymakers and institutions from different parts of the world.