Dangote, Otedola phones hacked, ransom demanded

The mobile phones of Aliko Dangote, Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, and Femi Otedola, Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, have reportedly been compromised by hackers.

According to insider sources who spoke to TheCable, both business moguls experienced the breaches within the past week. Otedola’s device was hacked once, while Dangote’s phone was allegedly infiltrated twice in two days.

The hackers are said to have made financial demands, though it remains unclear whether the two men have fully regained control of their devices.

“The hackers are asking for money from both men,” a source familiar with the development told TheCable.

Dangote and Otedola share a long-standing friendship and frequently refer to each other as “brothers.” Otedola recently attended Dangote’s announcement of plans to expand his refinery’s capacity from 650,000 to 1.4 million barrels per day.

Praising Dangote at the time, Otedola described him as “Africa’s pride,” saying his investments will shape future generations.

“Aliko’s relentless commitment to investing in Nigeria and Africa will outlive him as these are legacy investments that will define generations,” Otedola said. “Soon, Nigerians will own part of this refinery… this vision is not just for Dangote, but for all Nigerians and Africans.”

Otedola, author of the best-selling business memoir Making It Big, recently increased his stake in First HoldCo Plc with the purchase of 64.87 million shares valued at ₦2.01 billion.