Dangote Takes Over ₦1.1bn Ilorin Mosque Hostel Project, Pledges ₦5m Monthly Support
Koko Maxwella 
Aliko Dangote
ILORIN, Nigeria – The President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has taken over the construction of a ₦1.1 billion ultramodern 250-bed hostel project initiated by the Ilorin Central Jumma’at Mosque in Kwara State.
The facility, located at the University of Ilorin, is expected to provide modern accommodation for students, with rental income dedicated to the upkeep and maintenance of the mosque.
Announcing the development at a press conference in Ilorin on Sunday, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the mosque, Shehu AbdulGafar, said Dangote had formally communicated his decision to fully finance the project.
According to AbdulGafar, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been signed with the University of Ilorin, granting the mosque ownership and management rights over the hostel for a 21-year period. After this period, ownership will revert to the university.
In addition to sponsoring the construction, Dangote has pledged a monthly donation of ₦5 million to support the mosque’s maintenance needs until the hostel project is completed—a commitment that began last month.
“This gesture by Alhaji Aliko Dangote will not only ensure the financial sustainability of the mosque but also address student housing challenges with a state-of-the-art facility,” AbdulGafar said.
He described the initiative as a significant contribution to both faith-based community development and educational infrastructure.
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Chukwu Obinna 
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Korede Abdullah 