Billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote has accepted an invitation from Nigerian content creator Adebayo Ridwan, popularly known as Bae U Barbie, to appear on his YouTube show, Curiosity Made Me Ask.

Bae U extended the invitation while asking Dangote about his media appearances and the need to engage younger Nigerians interested in his business and the planned investment opportunity in his company.

The content creator observed that many of Dangote’s interviews had been conducted on platforms that younger audiences might not typically watch, despite their interest in his business and the company’s proposed initial public offering (IPO).

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

He explained that young Nigerians were interested in investing in Dangote’s company and argued that appearing on his show would provide an opportunity to reach a wider audience.

“I’m not saying you should sack your media team. No, but you know, when you finish,” he said before asking when the billionaire would appear on his programme.

Responding to the invitation, Dangote said young people represented the future and that the older generation needed to share its 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 businessman stressed the importance of conversations between older and younger generations to share experiences and discuss the country's development.

“So we need to sit down with some of you and discuss our own experience with you,” he added.

Dangote also noted that many young Nigerians had limited knowledge of some of the country's past political leaders and historical experiences.

He cited former President Olusegun Obasanjo as an example, suggesting that younger Nigerians might know more about him because he returned to power.

Bae U interrupted, saying, “Thanks to me. I gave him the platform, sir,” apparently referring to his interview with Obasanjo.

Dangote agreed that younger audiences were an important group for him to engage with.

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

He added that young people had continued to show him support and respect, including during his travels abroad.

According to Dangote, people around him sometimes attempted to prevent members of the public from taking photographs with him, but he preferred to oblige their requests.

He recalled an experience from his youth when he and his grandfather met prominent personalities in Washington and asked to take photographs with them.

Dangote said the experience influenced his willingness to take pictures with members of the public, regardless of his current status.

He also dismissed suggestions that a photograph of him shared on social media meant he was asking God for more blessings.

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

Dangote indicated that he was willing to meet with younger Nigerians in an informal setting where they could ask questions about his business journey and achievements.

Responding directly to Bae U’s invitation, the billionaire said, “We will come,” signalling his willingness to appear on Curiosity Made Me Ask.

He added that he wanted the conversation to be open, allowing young people to ask questions about how he built his business and achieved success.