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Aliko Dangote
Aliko Dangote
CEO, Dangote Group
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I Have 13K Contacts on My Phone; Taking My Phone Is a No-Go Area. Will Be On Bae U's Podcast-Dangote

📅 Oct 20, 2026 Shadout TV 11 MIN 2266 VIEWS 48 SEGMENTS · 4 SPEAKERS
In a surprising statement, Dangote reveals why his phone is so important to him, claiming he has over 13,000 contacts saved on it. 😂🔥 He says taking his phone away is a no-go area, joking that it would be easier to take him to jail than to separate him from his phone! Dangote is set to appear on Bae U Podcast, where fans can look forward to more interesting conversations, revelations, and entertainment. What do you think? With 13,000 contacts on your phone, would you ever allow anyone to take it away from you? 😂 👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments! Subscribe to Shadout TV for the latest e...

What Aliko Dangote said

Written from the verified transcript and checked against it. Every figure links to the moment it was said.

Aliko Dangote, CEO of Dangote Group, stated in a casual interview that taking his mobile phone is a 'no-go area,' saying it would be easier to put him in prison than take his phone. He disclosed he has had the same phone number since 2000 and has over 13,000 contacts, and he avoids blocking people so many callers reach him and he answers. Dangote shared he often drives himself, even to meetings, and claims he is a better driver than his driver. When asked about appearing on youth-oriented shows, Dangote agreed it was time to engage younger audiences, saying his generation 'has not really done very well for Nigeria and also for Africa.' He promised change, blaming his advisers Cecil and Richie Shu for not recommending youth platforms. He committed to appearing on the 'Cross City' show, emphasizing simplicity in life and citing a story about a prime minister whose wife drove him.

Key takeaways

  1. Dangote said it's easier to put him in prison than to take his phone away, calling it a 'no-go area.'
  2. Dangote has used the same phone number since 2000 and has over 13,000 contacts, stating he blocks almost no one.
  3. Dangote drives himself, even to meetings, and says he is a better driver than his driver.
  4. Dangote promised an upcoming appearance on the 'Cross City' show to engage younger audiences.
  5. Dangote blamed his advisers Cecil and Richie Shu for not steering him to youth-focused platforms.

Numbers and commitments

FigureWhat it refers toTypeAt
13,000 contacts on Dangote's phone metric 2:37
2000 year Dangote got his current phone number timeline 2:37

Chapters

  1. 0:00Phone number and contacts
  2. 2:47Driving himself
  3. 4:44Youth platforms and interviews
  4. 8:08Blame on advisers
  5. 9:07Commitment to Cross City

Questions asked in this interview

5
  1. 1:18That be why in contact alone on his phone is over 13,000. Football or afrobeats?
  2. 1:54Spend 1 billion naira on a party or invest in another factory?
  3. 2:07One week without your phone or one week without your private jet?
  4. 2:23Did you know how many contacts I have on my phone?
  5. 5:28So the question is, when do you think we can have you on the show, sir?
Narrator 0:00 ↗
The richest black man in the whole of Africa, Dangote, has come out to state that it is easier to take him to jail than to take his mobile phone away from him, because to him, without his phone he doesn't feel alive. You see, everything that works around him, he does through a mobile phone, that he's able to communicate or know whatever it is that is happening, and so he feels like without a phone everything around him doesn't exist.
I mean, if you know rich people, if you know people that are well-to-do, people when they get money, you understand that there are people that don't fear to pick up calls. Rich people, regardless of whoever it is that you be, anytime, anywhere you go, call them once, they get, they're available, or the phone is closer to him, he go pick your call and listen to your problem. On his mobile phone he has over 13,000 contacts.
The richest black man in the whole of Africa, he say he get over 13,000 contacts, and people where, I mean, you not even block them, people you don't know themselves, randomly they call them and they pick up their call or they return their call, because he feels like you never know what the person they call you or why they call you at what time. And so within him, without his phone he doesn't feel alive. All 13,000 contacts, some of them you say you don't know them, he say he not they block anybody, and so whether he deal with you, they deal with you. A lot of people has his contact.
He has a number, he say number where they currently dates back to 2000. That is when he get that number, and after 2000 down to 2026 he's still actively using the same number, making it one of the oldest phone numbers from a rich man like him. I mean, rich people like that, I think say every now and then, every week or every two days they change their number or they go block people, but saying he no they block anybody. That be why in contact alone on his phone is over 13,000. Football or afrobeats?
Aliko Dangote 1:49 ↗
No, football. You know, I'm a very, I'm a football fan, yes.
Interviewer 1:54 ↗
Okay, no, we'll get to that. Spend 1 billion naira on a party or invest in another factory?
Aliko Dangote 2:01 ↗
Of course, that you should, you know, the answer.
Interviewer 2:04 ↗
I know, invest in another factory.
One week without your phone or one week without your private jet?
Aliko Dangote 2:11 ↗
I think it's easier you put me in prison than to take my phone away. [laughter] So, you know, I mean, taking my phone away is no-go area.
Interviewer 2:23 ↗
Okay. Did you know how many contacts I have on my phone?
You know, yesterday we were together. We tried to watch a film together and then your phone was just buzzing and buzzing. So I know, I know that will be almost...
Aliko Dangote 2:37 ↗
My number, I have had that number since 2000. I have more than 13,000 contacts on my phone.
Interviewer 2:46 ↗
Wow.
Aliko Dangote 2:47 ↗
Wow. I hardly, I don't like blocking people. So a lot of people have my number [laughter] and so, you know, I answer my, you know, my calls. And, you know, yesterday too, when I was leaving, you know, I think it was not, it was Samad Rabiu who said, 'Ah, where is your driver?' I said, 'No, I drove myself here.' 'You mean you drive yourself?' I say, 'Why are you asking me this? I drive myself. Everybody knows I drive myself, especially on weekends.'
Interviewer 3:23 ↗
I see you all the time.
Aliko Dangote 3:24 ↗
Yes, all the time. I mean, yesterday we had a meeting somewhere with you. I met you there, or you met me there rather. I had no, I only went there with a friend of mine. I had no driver. I had no security. I drove myself. I parked my car and, you know, I'm a better driver than my driver. That's what it is.
Interviewer 3:47 ↗
One more question. Okay. Pass the mic, please. It's B. Be careful.
Audience Member 3:56 ↗
Sir, how late?
Interviewer 3:58 ↗
What time is it? One more question.
What time is it? It's okay. Okay, we have 15 minutes.
Audience Member 4:05 ↗
Good afternoon, sir.
Aliko Dangote 4:07 ↗
Afternoon.
Interviewer 4:08 ↗
You don't have to stand up. Sitting down is fine.
Audience Member 4:15 ↗
I'm Adidwan, popularly, I mean, popularly known as Beu Barbie. I have just one question, but it's a very long one, so I'll just quickly read it out. Thank you very much, sir. Mr. Aliko, most of the interviews we've seen you have been on platforms that my generation don't watch. I don't want to mention names so they'll not sue me.

20 more exchanges in this transcript

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Cite this transcript

APA, MLA, BibTeX
APA

Dangote, A. (2026, October 20). I Have 13K Contacts on My Phone; Taking My Phone Is a No-Go Area. Will Be On Bae U's Podcast-Dangote [Interview transcript]. Shadout TV. CEOInterviews.AI. https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/3129244/

MLA

Aliko Dangote. "I Have 13K Contacts on My Phone; Taking My Phone Is a No-Go Area. Will Be On Bae U's Podcast-Dangote." Shadout TV, 20 Oct. 2026. Transcript, CEOInterviews.AI, https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/3129244/.

BibTeX 
@misc{dangote2026_3129244,
  author       = {Aliko Dangote},
  title        = {I Have 13K Contacts on My Phone; Taking My Phone Is a No-Go Area. Will Be On Bae U's Podcast-Dangote},
  howpublished = {Interview transcript, Shadout TV. CEOInterviews.AI},
  year         = {2026},
  month        = {oct},
  url          = {https://ceointerviews.ai/interview/3129244/},
  note         = {Speaker-attributed transcript with timestamps}
}