Dangote opens new brands for job creation at LITF
The Group Executive Director, Commercial Operations, Dangote Industries Limited, Hajiya Fatima Aliko-Dangote has expressed the impact of Dangote Industries Limited on the GDP of the Nigerian economy.
This was enumerated in her keynote speech during the Dangote Special Day event at the 2023 lagos international trade fair
The Executive Director revealed that Dangote Industries Limited and its subsidiaries are the largest providers of employment in Nigeria after the Government. She said, ‘This is part of his vision, to deepen the Nigerian economy through industrialisation and create jobs for the teeming youth population. The Group remains the highest payer of tax, with three companies, Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar Refinery and NASCON Allied Industries adding the sum of N473.63 billion to government coffers between 2020 and 2022.’, she said.
According to the Executive Director, Dangote Industries Limited through investments in several sectors have created and promoted linkages across the economy. She examined the recent steps to consolidate Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Salt (NASCON Allied Industries and Dangote Rice into Dangote Foods, saying that they are part of strategies to harness the benefits of backward integration via linkages and to build a more formidable food subsidiary.
Hajiya Fatima expressed her believe that industrialization is key to diversification of the economy and processing our raw materials into finished products will in a great way create more values in the economy.
‘Our passion for industrialization, creation of linkages and value addition informs our decision to become strategic partners with all the major Chambers of Commerce and Industry across the nation.’,she noted.
‘Lagos Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) occupies a unique position as the pioneer Chamber of Commerce and Industry. You have continued to play a ‘significant role in the economic growth of Lagos in particular and Nigeria in general.
‘The theme of 2023 Lagos International Trade Fair, “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value” is apt. Value creation should be the goal of any business. Our investment decisions at Dangote Group, are focused on creating values for all stakeholders. Dangote Cement Plc remains the continent’s foremost cement producer, with operations in 14 African countries.’
The Executive Director further explained, ‘The activities of the cement company through its multiplier effect, provides direct and indirect employment to millions of people across Africa. Through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) interventions, Dangote Cement has touched the lives of thousands of people in host communities across Africa. The company has built schools, hospitals & clinics, roads, markets, vocational training centres in host communities.’
She remarked that the Dangote food subsidiaries, Dangote Sugar Refinery, NASCON Allied Industries (Dangote Salt) and Dangote Rice are providing jobs through various schemes. As regards Dangote Sugar Refinery, she enumerated that through its out-grower scheme, it has provided jobs to thousands of farmers in the host communities and that the coming of Dangote Fertiliser has to a great extent helped to change the face of agriculture in Nigeria. ‘Dangote Petroleum Refinery is a game changing industrial frigate which will drive Africa’s economic transformation.
‘Our quest to equip Nigerians with the necessary industrial and technological skills informed the collaboration between the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the VDMA (the German Association for Mechanical and Plant Engineering) and its Foundation for Young Talent in Mechanical Engineering (Nachwuchsstiftung Maschinenbau gGmbH – NWS).
‘In this innovative programme, we recruited young Nigerians to be trained in various engineering areas to equip them with necessary skills to work in the manufacturing sector.
Towards filling the gap in some of the plants, Hajiya Fatima said, ‘we recruited graduates of engineering and other technology-based courses and trained them on many aspects of industrial operations. These technicians were later deployed to our plants in Obajana, Ibese, Gboko as well as our sugar refinery in Apapa and salt refinery in Apapa and Ikeja. They have proved that young Nigerians, given the right training and orientation, excel in every assignment they are given.
‘In September, we concluded the induction of a batch of graduate trainees, 70 young Nigerians, recruited from different spheres of learning. They are now distributed across the group as graduate trainees. This is part of our contribution of providing employment to young Nigerians.
The executive director also noted that Over the years, they have conducted several vocational training workshops in order to equip youths in their host communities with skills such as plumbing, masonry, welding, iron bending, auto mechanics and electrical works. She said that they also provided training on best agricultural practices for youths willing to embrace agribusiness as a profession. The skills will provide them with a means of livelihood for their families and hangers on.
In addition, the Executive Director remarked, ‘participating in Lagos Trade Fair 2023, will enable us to connect businesses and in the process create values for all parties.
‘Our expectation therefore is that, through this Trade Fair, we will be able to further expand awareness for our innovative products, generate sales, get prospective buyers, improve the image of our brands, and open up new markets that will further translate into job creation and overall economic development in Nigeria.’ she stated.
In his keynote speech, the President/Chairman, Lagos Chamber for Commerce and Industry LCCI, Asiwaju Michael Olawale-Cole, CON, MFR, FNIM, CNIM, FIOD explained that Dangote Industries Limited is arguably the most strategic investment by an individual in the Nigerian economy. He said that this Nigerian conglomerate is contributing significantly to job creation, increase foreign exchange earnings, reduce poverty and productivity growth even beyond the Nigerian shores.
‘The company’s operations across 18 subsidiaries and 10 african countries is a clear testament of the company’s economic patriotism and commitment to the socioeconomic development of our nation.
‘In the agriculture sector, the company has africa’s largest granulated urea fertiliser complex, occupying 500 hectares in lekki free trade zone at a cost of $2.5 billion. The company currently has an installed capacity to produce 3 million metric tonnes per annum of urea fertilizer with plans to expand production to about 5 to 7 million metric tonnes.’
The president enumerated that the company recently established a greenhouse nursery designed to process between 300 and 350 million tonnes of hybrid tomato seedling and rice processing facilities with the vision of making the country self-sufficient in food production.
‘The operations of Dangote in the Nigerian manufacturing sector is enormous with massive investment in oil refining, cement manufacturing, sugar refining, salt & seasoning, automotive etc. These investments have huge impacts on the Nigerian economy.
‘The chamber wishes to congratulate the founder and the leadership of the Dangote industries limited on the inauguration and operations of the Dangote refinery. We also commend the company’s newly adopted approach to sustainability described as “the dangote way”, which is a commitment to environmental, social and governance (esg) global best practices.
Dr Michael revealed that despite the significant progress made by Dangote industries, the operating environment remains challenged due to low growth, foreign exchange volatility, high inflation, squeezed consumer income and weak demand, poor infrastructure (including inadequate electricity supply and limited transportation options) amongst others. Thus, he said there is the need for government to strategically address these issues to promote manufacturing productivity in the country.
He extended his appreciation to leadership and management of Dangote industries limited for its strategic partnership with the Lagos international trade fair (LITF) over the years.
‘as a partner, sponsor and exhibitor, Dangote group showcases its products including cement, sugar, salt, seasoning, noodles and other food products, packaging, energy, trucks and cars, energy, port operations, fertilizer and petrochemicals etc.’ he added.
