Business
Mining Stakeholders Hails Return of Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi to drive non-oil sector

The Association of Small Scale Miners of Nigeria (ASSMN) Zamfara State Chapter , and the Nigerian Chamber of Mines and Geological Workers have applauded the reappointment of the Executive Secretary of Solid Minerals Development Fund/Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (SMDF/PAGMI), Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi, by President Bola Tinubu.
In separate statements, the leadership of the associations expressed gratitudes to President Tinubu: “It’s a well-considered appointment that will further consolidate, deepen, and strengthen the solid minerals sector.”
The Chairman of ASSMN, Abubakar Rabiu, also congratulated Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi on President Tinubu’s renewal of her appointment and urged her to justify the confidence Nigerians reposed in her to drive the non-oil sector of the economy in tandem with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda of a prosperous, equitable, and just democratic nation.
The association praised Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi for her dedication and commitment to developing the solid minerals sector in Nigeria.
This sector has attracted foreign investors, empowered local miners, and provided jobs to thousands of youths, thus contributing significantly to the country’s gross domestic product.
According to the association, Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi is a paragon of excellence and will be motivated to take the solid minerals sector to the next level.
“The association is proud of Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi and will support her leadership of SMDS/PAGMI in revamping the nation’s economy and providing citizens with democratic dividends.
“We urge Nigerians to support this woman of destiny in our collective quest for a better society,” said Abubakar Rabiu.
Similarly, the Nigerian Chambers of Mines, Geological Workers, also throw its weight behind Fatima’s reappointment.
With a deep understanding of the solid minerals sector’s challenges and prospects, she will effectively tackle illegal mining, poor regulatory compliance and formulate policies that promote best practices in the industry.
The Association’s Chairman, Silas Kefas, described her reappointment as a well thought out decision and underscored the government’s confidence in her impactful leadership aimed at harnessing the solid minerals sector’s full potential and economic diversification essential for sustainable development and prosperity.
“A visionary leader and master strategist in the solid minerals industry, Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi’s laudable reform has revolutionalized the sector, attracted local and foreign investors and repositioned Nigeria as a competitive player in the global minerals market.
“With a renewed mandate, the solid minerals industry will witness significant advancement in the promotion of artisanal gold mining and value chain development, capacity building, job creation, infrastructural development, enhanced export capacity, financial prudence and significant contribution to the country’s gross domestic product that will revive the economy and foster prosperity to citizens.
With a deep understanding of the solid minerals sector’s challenges and prospects, she will effectively tackle illegal mining, poor regulatory compliance and formulate policies that promote best practices in the industry.
“We recall with pride the recent SMDF’s empowerment programme for 1000 women entrepreneurs in gemstone mining and utilisation as part of efforts towards contributing to the nation’s economic diversification starting with 100 womenparticipants in Lagos.
We are optimistic that thousands of women and youth will benefit from this worthy programme that will improve their well-being and make them self-reliant.
“We identify with Fatima Umaru-Shinkafi’s remarkable leadership and will always partner with SMDF/PAGMI to take the solid minerals sector to greater heights.
“We are all in it together to diversify and revamp the economy in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Congratulations to the great Amazon of the solid minerals sector. It is a well-deserved re-appointment for continuity, development and advancement of SMDF/PAGMI.”
Business
BUA Cement records N580.3bn half-year revenue

BUA Cement Plc has reported a revenue of ₦580.3 billion for the first half of 2025, reflecting a significant rise from ₦363.9 billion recorded during the same period in 2024.
The company made the announcement in a corporate disclosure filed with the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Friday.
Also, the company’s gross profit rose from N109.3 billion to N285.8 billion and the profit after tax soared to N180.9 billion up from N34.3 billion.
The earnings per share grew from 101.15k to 534.18k.
Business
Aliko Dangote retires

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).
Business
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.

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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