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Vice Chancellors Hail Dangote’s Impact on Nigeria’s Agricultural revolution

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President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has been hailed as a foremost entrepreneur whose laudable interventions in the agricultural sector in Nigeria should be applauded and emulated by others.

Many Nigerian University Vice Chancellors, under the auspices of Committee of Vice-Chancellors who were at the Dangote Fertiliser plant on a familiarisation visit over the weekend, marveled at the huge financial resources invested in the Plant.

The university heads unanimously agreed that Dangote should be specially recognised for his contribution on agricultural revolution in Nigeria, through his fertiliser project.

Secretary of Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigeria, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, said all Nigeria needed for real growth and development in all sectors of the economy was just to have five of Aliko Dangotes.

L-R, Dangote Fertilizer, General manager, (HAM/Admin) Olusegun Bashorun, Vice – Chancellor of Federal University Technology Owerri, Imo state, Prof. Nnenna N. Oti, Vice Chancellor University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, Who Represent the Chairman of the Committee of Vice – Chancellors Of Nigerian Universities, Present Recognition Award plaque to Dangote Fertilizer Limited on the Company Contribution of Success of the Executive Leadership Development Program, Managing Director/ CEO, Dangote Fertilizer Limited, Vishawajit Sinha, Secretary Committee of Vice – Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, During the Committee of Vice – Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Visit Dangote Fertilizer Limited Lekki Lagos on Thursday 20th July 2023,

He urged other Nigerian billionaires to take a cue from Dangote and invest heavily in manufacturing, to significantly reduce the high unemployment rate among the youth and ameliorate the sufferings of many Nigerians.

According to him: “We decided to come and see organisation wellness and resilience in action, and we know that Aliko is one of the most resilient entrepreneurs this country has ever produced, so, it is important to come and have a feel of that action.

“We came to see how one man’s dream and vision and big picture can translate into something like this and I can say that this visit has exceeded all our expectations because nothing you see on television or even read in Newspapers can match the reality when you come here physically and see this massive edifice and process in place.

“Dangote is an enigma and like I said earlier, if we have five of his types across Nigeria or across Africa, this country and continent will be a different story entirely. We are truly very proud of him…”

L-R, Vice – Chancellor of Federal University Technology Owerri, Imo state, Prof. Nnenna N. Oti, Vice Chancellor University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, Who Represent the Chairman of the Committee of Vice – Chancellors Of Nigerian Universities, Present Recognition Award plaque to Dangote Fertilizer Limited on the Company Contribution of Success of the Executive Leadership Development Program, Managing Director/ CEO, Dangote Fertilizer Limited, Vishawajit Sinha, Secretary Committee of Vice – Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, During the Committee of Vice – Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Visit Dangote Fertilizer Limited Lekki Lagos on Thursday 20th July 2023,

Speaking after the tour of the Fertiliser Plant, Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti described the Plant as impressive and lauded the synergy between Lagos State Government and Aliko Dangote, a man from Kano State, describing the union as what Nigeria should really represent.

She said: “This plant is quite impressive. We wish we had more Nigerians who are investing in our country, creating opportunities and solving real problems as well as giving back to society as Aliko Dangote is doing…

“What is more impressive is that somebody from a different part of the county has enough confidence in another part of the country and there is this synergy between the different elements, the cooperation from the Lagos State Government and a man from Kano…this is the Nigeria of my dream,” she added.

Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, Vice Chancellor of the Lagos State University (LASU), also expressed satisfaction at the operations in the factory, noting that the 3 million tonnes of granulated Urea factory would go a long way in solving the food problems in Nigeria.

She said: “This trip to Dangote Fertiliser has been awesome. …when the president said that there was going to be a state of emergency against poverty, we now know that Dangote is contributing enormously to the growth of the nation, to the availability of food security, through the provision of fertiliser, which is an important component in crop and food production…

“I am very impressed. This factory is enormous, huge funds have gone into it and it will have a positive effect on the nation’s economy. The likes of Aliko Dangote are rare, and Nigeria should be thankful for having a bold man that is always willing to take huge risks, in our midst,” she added.

In the same vein, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Tanko Ishaya, urged the Federal Government to specially recognise Aliko Dangote, as he has braved the odds to provide real solution to one of the key problems, facing the country: food security.

He said: “We have all gone round the factory and I must confess that this is a fantastic environment, and we want to congratulate the President of Dangote Group for having that vision and for implementing the vision.”

Recall that the Dangote Urea Fertiliser plant was built to tap into Nigeria’s demand for fertiliser, a critical component of achieving food sufficiency for Africa’s most populous country.

The Fertiliser plant is manufacturing 3 million metric tonnes of urea per annum, with a view to reducing the nation’s fertiliser imports, and generating over $400m annual foreign exchange from export to Africa countries.

Managing Director/CEO, Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Vishawajit Sinha, revealed that the Plant which has the capacity to turn out more than 4,500 tonnes of urea per day will conveniently meet the local demand and even produce for exports.

According to him: “…We have the capacity to turn out 4,500 tonnes of Urea every day…this is a bulk application fertiliser…each crop in Nigeria or globally will require Nitrogen and this is a rich fertiliser, having 46 per cent nitrogen…The company has the capacity to meet local demand and export to African countries.”

The plant, which is the largest granulated Urea fertiliser complex in Africa, occupies 500 hectares of land, was built at a cost of $2.5 Billion, and is expected to reduce drastically level of unemployment and youth restiveness in the country through employment opportunities.

The plant is expected to generate new jobs with top quality fertiliser being available and in sufficient quantities for the farmers.

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Dangote Accepts World Bank’s Appointment

The World Bank announced Dangote’s appointment on Wednesday as part of a broader expansion of its Private Sector Investment Lab, which now enters a new phase aimed at scaling up solutions to attract private capital and create jobs in the developing world.

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The President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, says he has accepted his appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, joining a select group of global business leaders tasked with driving investment and job creation in emerging economies.

In 2023, the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, co-chaired the Private Sector Investment Lab, which focused on attracting £1 trillion in sustainable investment to support the energy transition in emerging markets.

In a statement confirming his acceptance, Dangote reaffirmed his commitment to fostering sustainable economic growth through private sector-led investment, noting the transformative potential of such initiatives in developing markets.

“I am both honoured and excited to accept my appointment to the World Bank’s Private Sector Investment Lab, dedicated to advancing investment and employment in emerging economies,” he said.

Dangote added, “This opportunity aligns with my long-standing commitment to sustainable development and unlocking the potential of developing economies.

Drawing inspiration from the remarkable successes of the Asian Tigers, which have demonstrated the power of strategic investment and focused economic policy, I am eager to collaborate with fellow leaders to replicate such outcomes across other regions.”

The World Bank announced Dangote’s appointment on Wednesday as part of a broader expansion of its Private Sector Investment Lab, which now enters a new phase aimed at scaling up solutions to attract private capital and create jobs in the developing world.

Joining Dangote in the elite group are the CEO of Bayer AG, Bill Anderson; the Chair of Bharti Enterprises, Sunil Bharti Mittal; and the President and CEO of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Mark Hoplamazian.

(PUNCH)

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Bolt seeks dialogue with drivers ahead of May 1 strike

The strike, announced on Tuesday by the Lagos State chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria, targets major operators including Bolt, Uber, In Drive, and others.

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Bolt, Nigeria’s largest e-hailing startup by market share, says it is seeking dialogue with driver representatives following a planned 24-hour strike by app-based drivers in Lagos, scheduled for May 1, over poor earnings and working conditions.

In an emailed response to PUNCH Online on Thursday, the Estonian ride-hailing operator acknowledged some of the concerns raised by the drivers and confirmed its openness to discussions aimed at addressing its drivers’grievances.

The strike, announced on Tuesday by the Lagos State chapter of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria, targets major operators including Bolt, Uber, In Drive, and others.

The union accused the companies of ignoring repeated calls for fair compensation, safer working conditions, and recognition of workers’ rights.

The union accused the companies of ignoring repeated calls for fair compensation, safer working conditions, and recognition of workers’ rights.

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Nigeria to host maiden AfCFTA hackathon

The initiative, led by Cherith-Code Concept Ltd, an International Trade Consortium, is supported by a coalition of partners, including Ascend Studios Foundation, Amazon Web Services, GFA Technologies, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Real Sources Africa, a Kenya-based company.

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The Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has concluded arrangements for hosting the first-ever AfCFTA Hackathon in the country with a N20 million grand prize.

Held as a flagship event at the Science of Trade (SOT) Conference 2025, hosted by Ascend Studios Foundation, the maiden AfCFTA Hackathon is set to take place from May 1 to 3, 2025, in Lagos.

AfCFTA Coordination Office and Director of the Hackathon Project, Mr Olusegun Olutayo, disclosed this in a press release.

He emphasized thatthe hackathon is an innovative, tech-driven challenge specifically designed with Nigeria’s enterprising youth in mind.

The initiative, led by Cherith-Code Concept Ltd, an International Trade Consortium, is supported by a coalition of partners, including Ascend Studios Foundation, Amazon Web Services, GFA Technologies, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Real Sources Africa, a Kenya-based company.

This annual, high-impact project will focus on unpacking the opportunities presented by the newly adopted AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (DTP).

The platform will serve as a hub for developing competitive, practical and innovative solutions to power digital trade across Africa.

The convener of the SOT conference, Dr Inya Lawal, expressed enthusiasm about the hackathon’s transformative potential and the partnership with the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office.

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