Kano billionaire Aminu Dantata to be buried in Saudi Arabia

Plans to bury Alhaji Aminu Dantata in Madinah continue as Saudi approval is awaited. Funeral prayer held in Kano to honour the late philanthropist

Alhaji Dantata’s burial arrangements are still under review as the family awaits final approval from Saudi authorities to inter the late philanthropist in Madinah.

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The prominent Kano businessman, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, died peacefully at the age of 94 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, during the early hours of Saturday.

Dantata, who was one of Nigeria’s most influential business figures and known for his widespread philanthropy, had expressed a final wish to be buried beside his late wife in the Holy City of Madinah.

According to family members, this request remains paramount as plans progress.

In the meantime, a solemn funeral prayer was held in his honour at the Umar Bin Khattab Mosque in Kano. Though conducted in absentia, the event drew a significant turnout.

The Chairman of the Kano Council of Ulama, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, led the prayer. He was joined by the Commandant General of the Kano Hisbah Board, Sheikh Ibrahim Daurawa, in a moving tribute that reflected Dantata’s deep impact on society.

Among those present were the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, members of the Kano State Executive Council, and notable personalities from across Nigeria’s business community.

Many of them praised the late Dantata for his lifetime of giving and leadership.

Speaking to journalists at the prayer gathering, a family source remarked, “His wish was always to be laid to rest in the Prophet’s city, and we are doing everything possible to honour that.”

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu described Dantata as a man who “touched many lives,” while the Northern Governors’ Forum called his passing “a national loss.”

However, if the required clearance to transfer his remains is not granted in time, plans are already in place to return his body to Kano for burial in line with Islamic rites.

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Until then, family members and well-wishers continue to pay their respects, remembering a man whose legacy transcends business success and reflects a life of service, compassion, and humility.