The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dangote

  • Dangote donates N40m relief materials to Benue

    Dangote Group has donated 12 trailer-load of relief materials worth N40 million to the Benue State Government.

    The relief materials, according to the Group, are to support the state government in bringing succour to the victims of the recent crisis that affected some parts of the state.

    President/Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said: “ We have a very cordial relationship with our host communities in Benue and it is only natural we identify with them at a time like this. What has happened is unfortunate and we empathise with all the affected people.”

    Dangote, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Joseph Makoju, said it was unfortunate that the crisis happened and that the insurgency was diversionary to the government effort at bringing the dividend of democracy to the people of the state.

    He said: “Governor Gabriel Suswam administration has done a lot to improve the wellbeing of the good people of Benue State through massive upgrade of infrastructure, empowerment of rural farmers and funding of the educational sector. The infrastructural development in Benue state has been significant and his love for his people is unparallel.”

    He said the relief materials were part of his company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme in the state that covers: Health, education, women and youth empowerment and disaster relief.

    He said in Gboko, the Dangote Group has over the years built blocks of classrooms, constructed water boreholes and provide electricity in communities around the Dangote Cement plant.

    He added that the company gives a yearly scholarship grants running into millions of Naira to the people of Gboko communities.

  • No going back on 42.5 cement grade, says Dangote

    No going back on 42.5 cement grade, says Dangote

    • Block makers support firm

    Dangote Cement yesterday said there is no going back on its decision to elevate its cement production to the 42.5 grade, in spite of misinformation by some operators.

    The company said its decision to upgrade to the world standard is in the interest of the country.

    Its Group Managing Director, DVG Edwin, listed the advantages of the 42.5 above the 32.5 grade as its capacity for extra yielding and being able to prolong the life of buildings.

    He spoke at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos attended by the end users who also endorsed the new cement grade.

    Edwin said: “There is a lot of misinformation going on in the country. A lot of these unscrupulous operators try to state that a lower 32.5 cement grades give higher strength than the higher 42.5 grades. This is ridiculous and laughable. There is nowhere in the world where a higher quality and a higher grade product will perform less than a lower quality product.

    “Reviewing the 32.5 and 42.5 grades of cement is a scientific issue and it can be quantitatively measured, leaving no room for doubts or confusion over which product gives more strength than the other.”

    Edwin explained that extensive trials have been done with the 42.5 grade of cement and it has been found to give about 30 per cent higher strength than 32.5 grade. It also has 15 per cent higher yields than the lower grade product and further helps in making more dense concrete with very low porosity, which makes buildings much more durable.

    He challenged competitors to produce evidence of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON’s) certification authorising them to produce the 32.5 grade.

    “This clamour for 32.5 grade is daylight fraud. Let them show or produce evidence where SON has authorised them to produce 32.5 grade; obviously they have none. “They simply took advantage of the system to produce 32.5 grade.” Edwin said.

    National President, Nigerian Block Makers Association, Alhaji Rasheed Adebowale, said resistance to Dangote’s production of the new grade is fueled by greed and profiteering.

    He said: “The insistence by some cement manufacturers to continue to produce lower grades of cement is driven by their desire to maximise their profits at the expense of the lives of Nigerians.”

    While absolving the block makers of culpability for building collapse in the country, he urged cement manufacturers to upgrade the quality of cement they produce from the lower 32.5 cadre to 42.5 grade in the interest of safety of human lives.

    Adebowale is a member of the technical committee of SON that reviews cement standards.

    He urged the government and other stakeholders to move beyond rhetorics and unnecessary politicking by coming out with a definitive upgraded standard for cement in the country.

    “42.5 cement grade has long been the accepted cement grade in the country. There should not be a drop in standard,“ he insisted.

    Lagos State Chairman of the association, Alhaji Okunola Abegunde, said collapsed buildings should not be blamed on block makers.

    He said a lot of technicalities are involved in the construction of building and in order to avoid building collapse, regulators should manage the quality of input from manufacturers all the way to the builders at construction sites.

  • Ajimobi, Dangote, Ezekwesili, others for summit

    FIRSTBANK is set to host a two-day economic summit in partnership with the Oyo State government beginning from Monday and Tuesday.

    The event is scheduled to hold at the Ibadan Civic Centre, Idi-ape, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    Tagged: ‘Oyo State: Right for Business’ is organised to highlight the various opportunities that are abound in the state for both local and foreign investors, as well as identifying practical solutions to develop key strategies that will serve as an integrated road map to achieving the economic transformation of Oyo State through a framework of private sector partnership.

    Among guests expected at the summit include: Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, South African Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. J. N. K. Mamabolo, Nigeria’s foremost businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Group Chairman, FBN Holdings Plc, Dr. Oba Otudeko, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili and Mr. Bismarck Rewane.

  • Fayemi, Dangote, Obi, others get Champion award

    Fayemi, Dangote, Obi, others get Champion award

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi will, on Friday, receive the Champion Newspapers’ Governor of the Year (2013) award in Lagos.

    Fayemi, who was Leadership Newspaper’s Governor of the Year in 2012, will get the Champion’s award in recognition of his developmental strides in Ekiti State, which the organisers said have impacted positively on the people of the state.

    The President of Aliko Dangote Group of Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, will get Champion’s Man of the Year award.

    The ceremony will hold at the Inter-continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi will be honoured as Most Outstanding Igbo Personality of the Decade.

    The management of the Champion said the newspaper had been monitoring developments in Ekiti State and was impressed by the quality of governance under the Fayemi administration, especially the administration’s huge investments in social security, Health, Education, infrastructure and tourism development and their impact on the people.

    “On all scores, our findings, largely corroborated by that of independent assessors, confirm that Ekiti State, under Dr Kayode Fayemi, has become a model in terms of value creation.

    “We note, with delight, the uncommon zeal and pragmatism with which His Excellency has pursued the business of transforming Ekiti into a showpiece. Today, it is generally acknowledged that the culture of dynamism now governs Ekiti State in terms of infrastructure development, investment drive and corporate governance.

    “This is a credit to the vision, tenacity, commitment, dedication, accountability and transparency of Dr Kayode Fayemi’s administration,” the newspaper management said.

  • Dangote storms market with 3x cement brand

    Dangote storms market with 3x cement brand

    Dangote Cement Plc yesterday launched the ‘Dangote 3X Cement’ brand. At the unveiling of the brand, which comes in a 50 kilogramme bag of 42.5R grade, Group Managing Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Devakumar V.G. Edwin, said the product is the first of its kind in the country and Africa.

    The product, he said, has strength, extra yield and extra life, with good finish. He said the extra strength and rapid drying property of the product makes it the first choice for builders and contractors.

    Presenting the cement bag dubbed: “The Big Boss,” Group Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Oare Ojeikere, said the cement was coming amid expectations from the Mortgage Refinance Company where developers can access fund on a single digit interest rate. This, he said was an improvement on the prevailing practise where banks give funds at double interest rate, which has stifled construction and home ownership, but also widened the housing gap to over 17 million units. He said the new product is timely as it will attract new users because of the need to check building collapse.

    Honorary Adviser to President, Dangote Group, Joseph Makoju, said the product came from long years of painstaking research and development. He said a bag of the new 42.5R variety is equivalent to one and half bag of the regular bag and advised the public to patronise the new brand for better results.

    Executive Director, Stakeholder Management and Corporate Communications, Ahmed Mansur, an engineer, said the product is set to meet the needs of its customers. He said: “Every product we produce is to specification. The 3X brand is a market leader as we put in a lot of innovation to not only meet current demands, but also future needs.”

    Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr. Joseph Odumodu, said the Dangote 3X brand met the standard specification for 42.5R cement. The SON DG, who was represented by an engineer in the civil/building department, Mr. Onipade Adeoye, congratulated Dangote Cement for the extensive research and development behind the new product and encouraged others to do same.

     

     

  • Dangote acquires 50,000 hectares for rice

    Dangote acquires 50,000 hectares for rice

    Dangote Group has acquired 50,000 hectares of land for rice production in Niger State with job prospects for more than 8000 farmers.

    The Commissioner for Agriculture, AhmedMatane, broke the news yesterday at the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) Nigeria seed multiplication forum  in Minna.

    While the company intends to utilise 70 per cent of the land, the commissioner said the remaining 30 per cent will be given to rice farmers from the state to cultivate high yield improved rice seeds.

    At least 7000 farmers will be engaged  as contract farmers to work on 15,000 hectares.

    He said rice cultivation is one way the state government is working with the private sector to support the Federal Government Agricultural Transportation Agenda to ensure food security

    The state, he also said has earmarked 100,000 hectares to increase rice production for the next three years.

    Under the programme, he said 50,000 farmers will be engaged.

    Each of them will cultivate two hectares of land.

    The expectation is that they added between 250,000 and 400,000 tonnes annually to the national rice volume.

    The National Corodinator,WAAPP,Prof Damian Chikwendu said production of high yielding improved rice seeds are part of efforts by Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS to improve food security by supporting member countries’ agriculture efforts to ensure food availabilty.

    He said WAAPP has been funding the National Cereals Research Institute(NCRI), Badeggi to produce rice breeder and foundation seeds.

    Under the programme, rice farmers are to benefit from 15,992 kilogrammes of high yield improved rice seeds.

    He said the programme has commissioned seven private seed companies to produce several quantities of certied maize,rice and sorghum seeds.

  • Forbes new listing, impetus for job creation – Dangote

    Billionaire business mogul, Aliko Dangote has said that his recent listing as the 23 richest man globally  in the Forbes magazine would only spur him to commit himself the more to reduction of poverty among Nigerians through creation of gainful employment
    He said he has always believed that the worth of a man does not consist in his wealth but the number of lives he is able to impact positively.
    Speaking against the background of fresh injection of N200 billion into his foundation, the Dangote Foundation, the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, said he would pursue the task of poverty reduction and health management with renewed vigour.

     “Dangote foundation is now 20 years old. This initial endowment will assure that Dangote Foundation has secure and steady funding to carry out its mission as we significantly scale up our work.
    He announced the reconstitution of the board of trustees of the Foundation.
    Members now includes himself as the Chairman, Sani Dangote, Halima Aliko Dangote, Olakunle Alake, A B Mahmoud, SAN, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Angela Adebayo, Hajara Adeola and Yvonne Ike.
    “And last year we appointed Adhiambo Odaga, Managing Director to grow the Dangote Foundation team. The stage is set now for the next stage of our institutional growth.”
    “Going forward- from the second quarter of this year, we will lay greater emphasis on youth and women empowerment through large scale efforts that cultivate meaningful change in their lives.”
    Dangote established Dangote Foundation in 1994 to extend the impact of his growing business operations.
    Current interventions that focus on youth and women, include a national cash transfer programme designed to complement state governments’ poverty alleviation programmes by providing N 10,000 grants to at least 1,000 women and youth in each of Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas, LGAs.

     

  • Dangote announces N200bn endowment for foundation

    Dangote announces N200bn endowment for foundation

    Foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has endowed the Dangote Foundation with N200bn, a day after Forbes magazine named him the 23rd richest man in the world and the richest in Africa.

    In a statement, Dangote stated that “the Dangote Foundation is now 20 years old. This initial endowment will ensure that the Dangote Foundation has secure and steady funding to carry out its mission as we significantly scale up our work.

    “The reconstituted board of trustees includes Aliko Dangote, Sani Dangote, Halima Aliko Dangote, Olakunle Alake, A. B. Mahmoud, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Angela Adebayo, Hajara Adeola and Yvonne Ike. And last year, we appointed Adhiambo Odaga as the managing director to grow the Dangote Foundation team. The stage is set now for the next stage of our institutional growth.

    “Going forward, from the second quarter of this year, we will lay greater emphasis on youth and women empowerment through large scale efforts that cultivate meaningful change in their lives.”

    Dangote established the foundation in 1994 to extend the impact of his growing business operations.

    Current interventions that focus on youth and women include a national cash transfer programme designed to complement state governments’ poverty alleviation programmes by providing N10,000 grants to at least 1,000 women and youths in each of the 774 Local Government Areas in the count.

  • Dangote Group shines at trade fair

    Dangote Group shines at trade fair

    Dangote Group has been declared the winner of the 35th Kaduna International Trade Fair.

    Governor Ramalan Yero praised the group for his leading role in the nation’s economic development.

    Dangote Group also came first in the Food and Beverage section.

    The award committee of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce Mines Industry and Agriculture (KADCCIMA) said Dangote’s emergence as the best brand was not surprising.

    He said the group’s support, sponsorship, branding and marketing efforts enhanced the fair.

    At the fair, Dangote Cement, a subsidiary of the Group, staged a promo slashing the price of cement.

    KADCCIMA’s Director-General Usman Salau hailed the partnership with Dangote, saying the promo helped in deepening the fair and increase participation.

  • 85,000 jobs coming in Dangote Refinery

    85,000 jobs coming in Dangote Refinery

    The proposed $9 billion Dangote Refinery in Lagos is expected to create 85,000 jobs for skilled and unskilled workers, reports TOBA AGBOOLA.

    Despite having three refineries, Nigeria still finds it difficult to meet the domestic needs for petrol and other products. The refineries with an installed capacity to process 445,000 barrels per day (bpd) are not working at optimum capacity.

    Against this background, the proposed $9 billion Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company in Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ), Lagos, is expected to help refine products to bridge the gap in local needs, conserve foreign exchange and create jobs.

    The Dangote Group of Companies is promising to train over 8,000 engineers to run the refinery. It says on completion, the project will create no fewer than 85,000 direct and indirect jobs.

    Since it is a complex business, it is expected to open up other jobs in construction, management, engineering, and administrative duties.

    These jobs can be broken into pure engineering and journeyman.

    Engineering refers to disciplines requiring formal education. In the journeyman category, workers do not usually need a degree. They begin as a trainee and work their way up to a site supervisor that oversees a project.

    Journeymen are contractors hired by construction companies which are for contracted by refineries construction-related projects, such as repairs and major turnarounds.

    Other available job openings are oil refinery foreman, refinery general foreman, and oil refinery site supervisor.

    Welders, electricians, tilers, aluminium doors/windows fitters, building and construction workers will also not be left out. There are other workers who maintain the refinery and do the work that is required to keep the refinery running.

    These positions can include maintenance personnel, cooks and catering staff, truck and heavy equipment drivers, mechanics and other. Gardeners and sweepers will also be needed to keep the refinery surroundings as clean as possible.

    A top official of LFTZ who will not want his name in print, said the zone has been split into an oil and gas logistic park, light and heavy industrial and manufacturing section, media centre and urban residential section.

    The official added that for the zone to be developed quickly, as expected by the initiator, calls are being made for the development of a meaningful partnership, to build a modern international airport and sea –port, that will serve the zone, and become the aviation and maritime hub of the sub-region.

    It was also gathered that real estate companies would be given a role to play in the development of the zone. The LFTZ will showcase opportunities for private companies in the oil and gas manufacturing, food processing, hospitality and leisure sectors, banking and financial service sector would be expected to develop a 21st century financial centre at the zone.

    According to President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Nigeria spends about $30 billion yearly on importation of petroleum products, promising that when the project is finally completed, it will transform the country from being a net importer of petroleum products to a net exporter of the products. Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel, Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) and other by-products of petroelum refining such as poly-propylene and fertiliser will be in adequate supply.

    Speaking on the Project, the General Secretary, National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Issa Aremu, said with a projected daily production output of 400,000 barrels, the same capacity of the four government-owned refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, operating at less than 30 per cent of installed capacities, the bold initiative by the Dangote Group is a giant stride in re-industrialising Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.

    He said the project will create employment opportunities for many Nigerians and set the country on the pedestal of industrialisation.

    The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (NUPENG) agrees that the proposed refinery/petro-chemical and fertiliser complex is a huge job generating venture. The workers have called on other private investors, including the multinational oil companies to borrow a leaf from Dangote Group by establishing refineries in the country to create jobs and save the huge foreign exchange dissipated yearly on fuel importation.

    The oil workers recalled that years back, the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo gave licences to about 18 indigenous firms to refine crude oil, lamenting that about a decade after, none of them has being able build the a refinery plant.