Africa's Richest Man Aliko Dangote Acquires Kenya's Oldest Tour Company

Published By The Statesman For The Statesman Digital
6 hours ago

Africa Travel Investments, a tourism investment firm backed by Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, has acquired Pollman’s Tours and Safaris, the country’s oldest tour operator.

The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) confirmed the acquisition in a statement shared on X, noting that Africa Travel Investments received the green light to take full ownership, acquiring 100% of the company’s issued share capital.

“This transaction presents the acquirer as a growth-focused investor seeking to maximize the target’s potential,” CAK stated.

The regulator added that the deal is not expected to hurt competition in the market, which currently comprises over 300 tour operators, nor does it raise any public interest concerns.

Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian billionaire industrialist behind the move, is the founder and chairman of the Dangote Group, a massive conglomerate with interests spanning cement, sugar, salt, and other key sectors across Africa.

His flagship company, Dangote Cement, is the largest cement producer in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dangote is also the force behind the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Petroleum Refinery, one of Africa’s most ambitious energy projects.

The acquisition of Pollman’s, a household name in Kenyan tourism for decades, could mark a turning point for the local sector.

Under Kenya’s Competition Act, such mergers must be approved by CAK if they meet certain financial thresholds.

These approvals are based on factors such as market structure, consumer welfare, employment, and broader economic impacts. Violating these regulations could result in steep penalties, up to 10% of the firm’s turnover.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) 2025 Economic Survey, international visitor arrivals rose by 14.7% over the past year, a jump attributed to strategic interventions in the tourism space.

Meanwhile, local tourism also showed promise, with visits to museums, snake parks, and historical sites increasing by 6.9%.