Dangote Agrees to Appear on Bae U Barbie’s YouTube Show After Appeal to Reach Young Nigerians

According to a report by Vanguard on October 19, 2026, Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has accepted an invitation from content creator Bae U Barbie to appear on his YouTube programme, Curiosity Made Me Ask, following a discussion about the need for prominent business leaders to engage younger audiences.

The invitation came as Bae U Barbie, whose real name is Adebayo Ridwan, urged the industrialist to consider platforms that appeal to young Nigerians, particularly those interested in his business ventures and investment opportunities.

During their interaction, the content creator observed that Dangote had largely granted interviews to media platforms that did not attract many people in his generation.

“Most of the interviews we’ve seen you have been on platforms that my generation don’t watch,” he said.

Bae U Barbie clarified that he was not asking the billionaire to change his media team but wanted him to consider appearing on the programme after completing his existing engagements.

Dangote welcomed the suggestion, acknowledging that younger Nigerians represented the country’s future and that older generations had a responsibility to share their experiences with them.

“Honestly, the future that we have is actually you, the youth. We, our own generation, really, we have not really done very well for Nigeria and also for Africa. That’s the truth,” he said.

The billionaire stressed that conversations between generations could help young people better understand Nigeria’s history, challenges and development.

He also expressed concern that some young Nigerians might not be sufficiently familiar with influential figures from the country’s past, citing former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an example.

Bae U Barbie responded by pointing to his own interview with the former president, saying his programme had helped introduce Obasanjo to younger audiences.

“Thanks to me. I gave him the platform, sir,” he said.

Dangote subsequently agreed that engaging younger audiences should become a greater priority for him and other established business leaders.

“So really, you are right. Going forward, this sort of audience is the audience that we, somebody like me, should actually face,” he added.

Beyond the discussion about media engagement, Dangote spoke about his relationship with young people and his willingness to accommodate those who approach him for photographs.

He recalled instances when members of his entourage attempted to prevent people from taking pictures with him but said he preferred to grant such requests.

The industrialist linked his attitude to an experience from his younger years when he accompanied his grandfather to meet prominent personalities in Washington and asked to take photographs with them.

He said the memory had influenced how he treated people who approached him, despite his wealth and public standing.

Dangote also clarified comments he had made about a photograph shared on social media, explaining that his reference to divine blessings was an expression of gratitude rather than a request for more.

“I wasn’t begging for anything. What I was saying, I was just saying that, God, you have overblessed me,” he said.

The conversation comes amid growing public interest in Dangote’s business activities, particularly the planned public investment in his petroleum refinery.

In September 2026, Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals launched an initial public offering (IPO), offering 4.1 billion ordinary shares at ₦525 each, with a minimum subscription of 10 shares valued at ₦5,250. The offer was designed to broaden public participation in the refinery’s ownership.

The proposed appearance on Curiosity Made Me Ask could provide younger Nigerians with an opportunity to ask Dangote about his business journey, investment decisions and the experiences that shaped his rise in the industrial sector.

Confirming his willingness to participate, the billionaire told Bae U Barbie, “We will come.”

He also indicated that he wanted the engagement to be an open discussion where participants could ask questions about how he built his business and attained his current position.