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Dangote inducts youth in technical skills acquisition as Ravindra says Merger of Dangote food subsidiaries will benefit stakeholders

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As part of its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, Kogi State, has commenced the training of youth in technical skills under the tutelage of technical units of Dangote Cement Transport, Obajana. The participating youth were selected from the host communities of Oyo, Iwaa, Apata, and Obajana.

The Technical Skills Acquisition programme, according to the Plant Director, Dangote Cement Plant, Obajana, JV Gungune, is aimed at empowering the youth and developing entrepreneurial skills around its catchment areas.

Mr. Gungune told newsmen that the youths which also included female trainees, were mostly secondary school leavers.

Speaking at the inauguration of the scheme, General Manager, Community Affairs /Special Duties, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi, said the trainees are being paid monthly stipends while the training lasts. “When completed, the youth will add great value to their communities, Kogi State, and Nigeria,” Mr. Adeyemi said.

Reacting, Divisional Director Transport of the Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Ajay Singh, said some of the areas of training include: auto mechanic, auto electrical, welding and panel beating/fabrication.

The Workshop Manager, Engineer Alfa Adamu, said the trainees were shared into different engineering sections based on their strengths and interest, adding that the trainees have so far spent three months.

In the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Ravindra Singhvi has assured stakeholders that the proposed merger between Dangote Sugar Refinery, NASCON Allied Industries, and Dangote Rice to form Dangote Foods Plc is expected to yield many benefits, solely for the growth of the business and high returns to all the key stakeholders.

Speaking last week on the Business Morning Programme of Channels Television, Ravindra said that the merger when completed will bring economies of scale to the business. He maintained that the merger would lead to cost reduction as the evolved company will gain with an increase in production. The cost, according to him, will now be spread over many goods.

According to him, Dangote Foods will have operational efficiencies, as there would be a reduction in the time needed to obtain raw materials, fuel, manpower, etc for production. Husk and biomass from Rice and Sugar Units will be useful to generate power for the running of the plants. Also, it is expected that the merger will result in improvement in the supply side of the food industry as many products will roll out of the one-stop food company. The Dangote Sugar Refinery helmsman opined that the merger will further advance the backward integration strategy of the Group as resources, machinery, and skilled manpower are to be harnessed to drive the process.

Dangote Foods Plc, he stated will have the potential for more geographical spread than the legacy companies as the products will be readily available in all the niche markets of the former and even more given the combined assets in terms of manpower, product range, transport, and warehouses.

The company will have a stronger business case for access to capital as the combined business will be bigger and more attractive to lenders, he added.

Speaking on the impact of deregulation of the foreign exchange market, he lamented that many manufacturing companies have sustained forex-linked losses in the period as they made provisions for the slump in the value of the Naira against the dollar. Manufacturers, he noted are making provisions monthly to take care of the fluctuations in the value of the Naira.

He said, ‘The headwinds are really there. So, we have to be careful in provisioning for changes in the value of the local currency. The floating of the Naira led to a massive fall in its value. This has affected our operations in the sugar industry.’

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Aliko Dangote retires

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Foremost entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote has announced his retirement as a Director and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025.

He is relinquishing his position as chairman and retiring from the board so as to focus more attention on the Refinery, Petrochemicals, Fertiliser and Government Relations, in order to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.

The board of Dangote Cement Plc has therefore announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman, Board of Directors.

In the same vein, Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Company while Prof. Dorothy Ufot retired from the Board.

Reputed as Africa’s leading investor, Aliko Dangote leaves giant footprints as he retires from the board.

His vision and tenacity redefined not just a company, but the entire cement industry landscape by becoming Africa’s largest cement producer and largest exporter of cement and clinker in Sub Saharan Africa.

Aliko Dangote’s journey with cement began with a bold dream: to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in cement production.

Through strategic investments in state-of-the-art plants, and a commitment to local content, he not only met that goal but exceeded it.

Dangote Cement Plc has 52.0Mta capacity across African continent with Nigeria accounting for 35.25Mta.

Currently, additional greenfield plants are coming up in Cote Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 Mta) and on completion this year will push total capacity to 61.0Mta.

Under his visionary leadership, Dangote Cement Plc recorded the highest revenue and Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) in the history of the company.

According to the unaudited results for the six months ending 30th June 2025, the group revenue went up by 17.7 percent, from N1,760 billion at the same period in 2024 to N2,071.6 billion, representing the highest revenue in the history of the company.

Group Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA) grew by 41.8 percent to N944.900 billion from N666.22 billion.

EBITDA (Nigeria Operations) grew by 82.4 percent to N845.4 billion. Profit before tax went up from N292.96 billion to N730 billion indicating 149 percent increase while profit after tax surged by 174.1 percent to ₦520.5 billion, in contrast to N189.90 billion in the same period at the preceding period.

In the six months, export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2 percent, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon.

Aliko Dangote’s legacy will be counted in the millions of jobs created, the infrastructure built, and the confidence restored in African industrial potential.

He has proven that Africa can produce, compete, and lead on the global stage. It is on record that subsidiaries under Dangote Group paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it the highest taxpayer in the country.

The new Chairman of the Board of the Company, Emmauel Ikazoboh in his acceptance speech, said he is truly honored to accept the role of Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc while pledging to uphold the highest standards of leadership and dedication in this role.

He described the company as a beacon of African enterprise, which has consistently demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.

Over the years, Dangote Cement Plc has not only become the continent’s leading cement producer but has also played a vital role in driving economic growth and development across numerous African nations.

Giving an insight into what his tenure holds for the company, he said, “my vision for Dangote Cement Plc is built upon a foundation of sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and unwavering commitment to our core values.

We will continue to focus on the following key priorities, Operational Excellence, Strategic Expansion, Sustainability, Innovation and Community Engagement.

Part of the strategies he intends to introduce include driving down costs through the implementation of robust cost-reduction strategies to navigate inflationary pressures and enhance competitiveness.

The company he stated will accelerate efforts to adopt alternative fuels and technologies, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a more sustainable future.

Regarding staff welfare, he promised that the company will continue to invest in training and development, fostering a culture of excellence and empowering employees to reach their full potential.

Emmanuel Ikazoboh was previously the Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc., the Pan-African banking group. He started his professional career at Akintola Williams Deloitte.

He first became the Managing Partner for francophone offices in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire and later became the Managing Partner of the Deloitte firm in West and Central Africa until 2009.

In 2010 he was appointed by the Securities and Exchange (SEC) as an Interim Administrator to carry out capital market reforms of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc. (CSCS).

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UK Parliament Honors NASENI CEO for Driving Africa’s Industrial Innovation

In his remarks, Halilu emphasised Africa’s readiness to lead in innovation, manufacturing, and sustainability.“It is a great honour to receive this award alongside fellow visionaries committed to Africa’s future.

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The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Halilu, has been honoured with the prestigious African Achievers Award at the 15th edition of the ceremony held at the historic House of Lords, UK Parliament.

The award, presented during an event that brought together royals, global leaders, policymakers, and innovators, recognised Halilu’s outstanding contributions to advancing Africa’s technological infrastructure, innovation ecosystems, and industrial growth through his leadership at NASENI.

Hosted by Baroness Sandip Verma, Chancellor of the University of Roehampton and a respected member of the House of Lords, the ceremony was a powerful global showcase of African excellence and transformative leadership, a statement by NASENI’s Director of Information, New Media and Protocol, Olusegun Ayeoyenikan, said.

Halilu joined a distinguished group of honourees including public officials, business executives, and philanthropists shaping the future of the continent.

In his remarks, Halilu emphasised Africa’s readiness to lead in innovation, manufacturing, and sustainability.“It is a great honour to receive this award alongside fellow visionaries committed to Africa’s future.

At NASENI, we are bridging the gap between ambition and access, turning ideas into industries, empowering indigenous solutions, and driving forward Nigeria’s and Africa’s industrial transformation. Africa is not just rising, it is ready,” he said.

Under his leadership, NASENI, the statement said, has been repositioned as Nigeria’s leading technology transfer agency, delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu by enabling local production in critical sectors such as clean energy, agriculture, transportation, and digital infrastructure.

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We didn’t shutdown Tummy Tummy noodles factory – NAFDAC

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that the viral recording was not only misleading but also a recycled falsehood.

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a formal disclaimer concerning an audio recording circulating on social media.

The audio recording falsely claims the agency shut down the Tummy Tummy noodles manufacturing facility in Anambra State.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, clarified that the viral recording was not only misleading but also a recycled falsehood.

According to her, the same audio first appeared in Oct. 2023 and was thoroughly investigated at the time.

“The claims made in the recording are entirely false.

“The Tummy Tummy noodles facility in Anambra State was not sealed,” she stated.

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