Nairobi, May 14, 2025 – Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has expanded his business footprint into Kenya’s tourism sector with the acquisition of the country’s oldest tour operator, Pollman’s Tours and Safaris.
The acquisition was made through Africa Travel Investments, a Dangote-owned entity, marking a strategic move into East Africa’s thriving travel and hospitality industry.
The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) has approved the full acquisition, stating that Dangote has acquired 100% of Pollman’s issued share capital.
According to CAK, the merger poses no threat to market competition since the acquirer and target operate in different sectors. “The transaction will not alter market concentration or share, as the parties are not direct competitors,” the Authority confirmed.
Strategic Expansion Backed by Global Investment
This development follows an earlier investment in February by Alterra Capital—a private equity firm co-founded by American billionaire David Rubenstein and backed by Dangote—in ARP Africa Travel Group, Pollman’s parent company.
Reports by Business Daily indicate that the acquisition deal was valued at approximately KSh 4 billion.
No Job Losses or Market Disruption Expected
CAK assured that the acquisition would not lead to job cuts or negatively affect small businesses operating in the same space, including major players like Bonfire Adventures and Bountiful Safaris.
“The Authority concluded that the transaction would not result in redundancies or hamper the competitiveness of SMEs in the sector,” CAK added.
A Vote of Confidence in Kenya’s Tourism Sector
The move reflects Dangote’s confidence in Kenya’s tourism industry, which continues to show strong growth. According to the 2025 Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), international tourist arrivals rose by 14.7% in 2024, reaching 2.39 million visitors.
Additionally, domestic and international conference activity also recorded modest growth, with 3.7 million visitors to national parks and wildlife reserves—a 2.8% increase.
The acquisition of Pollman’s Tours and Safaris positions Dangote to benefit from Kenya’s upward tourism trend and signals further investment interest in the country’s travel and hospitality landscape.
