The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has launched a Student Share Grant Initiative that will award qualifying Nigerian students 10 free shares in Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE after they subscribe to the company's ongoing initial public offering (IPO). The programme targets students aged 18 and above enrolled in either public or private tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
How the Student Share Grant Works
To be eligible for the grant, a student must complete a verification process and subscribe to a minimum of 10 shares through the foundation's dedicated platform, ipo.alikodangotefoundation.org. Once the student fulfils this requirement, the foundation will fund an additional 10 shares in the student's name at no cost to them.
The Dangote Refinery IPO opened on September 14, 2026, and will close on October 13, 2026. Shares are priced at N525 each, meaning the minimum subscription of 10 shares requires a payment of N5,250 from the student. The initiative is part of ADF's broader push to advance education, economic inclusion, and practical financial knowledge among young Nigerians.
ADF and Dangote on the Initiative's Goals
The foundation argued that pairing investor education with direct capital market participation would give students firsthand experience of saving, responsible investing, and asset ownership. Aliko Dangote said young people needed more than access to education; they needed pathways into wealth creation.
Dangote stated: "Through this initiative, we want students to understand the value of saving, responsible investing and long-term ownership. Our goal is to help them develop an investment mindset early in life." He added that early exposure to investment opportunities could shape future financial behaviour and draw more young Nigerians into the formal economy, according to Punch reports.
ADF Chief Executive on Financial Literacy
ADF Chief Executive Zouera Youssoufou said the programme was designed to close the gap between learning about finance and actually practising it. She noted: "Financial literacy becomes more impactful when people can apply what they learn." Youssoufou added that participating students would go through the full investment cycle, from verification and subscription through to allotment and ownership, giving them a complete picture of how capital markets work.
She further said: "We are seeking to inspire a lifelong interest in financial literacy, investing and asset ownership among young Nigerians." Leadership reports that the foundation said the knowledge students gain through the initiative could lay the groundwork for better financial decisions and wider participation in Nigeria's capital market over the long term.
Dangote's Broader Refinery Plans in Kenya
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote predicted that African countries will largely stop importing refined petroleum products from outside the continent by 2030, as he prepares to launch a major refinery project in Kenya. He spoke in Nairobi ahead of the groundbreaking of the 700,000 barrels-per-day facility, valued at $16 billion, which is set to be commissioned in Lamu on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast on Wednesday, with construction expected to run for about 30 months. The Lamu project has not been without pushback.
