Enugu Trade Fair: Our Target Is Self-sufficiency For Nigerians In All Sectors Where We Play-Dangote Group
President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce , Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Sir Odeiga Jideonwo has commended the Dangote Group for its multi-sectoral contributions
to the growth of the Nigerian economy , stressing that Dangote operates in almost every sector of the economy, and is still expanding with reliable strength.
Jideonwo expressed gratitude that the efforts of the Group towards bringing the Dangote Refinery on stream were not in vein. He expressed the hope that the refinery which had already started producing refined petroleum products, would also help in addressing the challenges and problems associated with availability and cost of the products in Nigeria.
He gave the commendation in his address during the Dangote Special Day at the on- going 35Th Enugu International trade fair holding at the permanent site of the Trade Fair Complex, Enugu.
While commending the Dangote Group, Jideonwo said ,”interestingly, Dangote business and Entrepreneurship indulgence has spread to many parts of African Continent, employing thousands of people across the world of which not less than 85% are Nigerians. Indeed, Dangote is the pride of Nigeria and Africa at large”.
He further acknowledged, “the exploits of the Dangote Group shows great level and high degree of vision , creative thinking, research, innovations, doggedness, hard work and industry which has culminated in what one can describe as the Dangote business and industrial empire today”.
The ECCIMA boss commended the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group,Aliko Dangote, management and staff of the Dangote Group” for their untiring and resilient spirit to shore up productivity for the growth of the Nigerian economy and the African Continent.
“I have no doubt that in the years to come, Dangote Group would be one not just a big industrial player in Nigeria and Africa, but the entire globe , deepening the creation of wealth and employment generation,” Jideonwo said.
He thanked the Dangote Group for being a strong partner and expressed the hope that “the partnership with this industrial giant will continue to be enduring and grow from strength to strength for the common good”.
In his speech, the Regional Sales Director, Dangote Cement PLC, South East, Abayomi Shittu, said Dangote Group had added value to the Nigerian economy, through industrialisation and youth empowerment .
Shittu disclosed that for them to fill the gap in some of their plants, they strategically recruited graduates of engineering and other technology-driven fields.
According to him, “They underwent comprehensive training to fine-tune their skills covering various facets of industrial operations. These skilled technicians were later deployed to our cement plants in Obajana, Ibese, Okpella and Gboko as well as our sugar refinery in Apapa and salt refinery in Apapa and Ikeja. They have proven that young Nigerians, given the right training and orientation, can excel in any given assignment.
“In September 2023, 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. Dangote Cement is also inducting 130 fresh Graduate Trainees to complement this process.
“Over the years, we have conducted several vocational training workshops in order to equip youths in our host communities with skills such as plumbing, masonry, welding, iron bending, auto mechanics and electrical works. We also provided training on best agricultural practices for youths willing to embrace agri-business as a profession.
“The skills will provide them with viable means of livelihood for their families and other dependants.
Our expectation therefore is that, through this Trade Fair, we will be able to further generate awareness on our innovative products, drive higher 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 and beyond.
“To sustain this process, we will keep innovating and pushing new boundaries while deploying the latest technologies and skills”, he said.
He said, as a major sponsor of the Enugu International Trade Fair, this year’s theme “Promoting Made in Nigeria Products for Global Competitiveness” resonates with them at Dangote Group as they are focused on domestically manufacturing goods that were hitherto usually imported despite the abundance of raw materials for such products in Nigeria.
“Today, through our vast investments across many sectors, we are adding value to the raw materials and transforming the same into finished products. In these sectors, we are creating linkages that connect the whole economy while at the same time promote backward integration. We believe that industrialisation is key to diversification of the economy.
He said the Dangote Group’s passion for industrialisation ,creation of linkage and value addition informed their investment decisions.
“Our passion for industrialisation, creation of linkages and value addition informs our investment decisions. We are focused on creating values for all stakeholders. Our target is to ensure that Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in all the sectors where we play: cement, agriculture, mining, and oil & gas”, he said
According to him , Dangote Cement, one of their business units has helped in making Nigeria become self-sufficient in local production of cement, and now exports clinker to other countries.
“Through its multiplier effect, Dangote Cement provides direct and indirect employment to millions of people across Africa and has touched lives by building schools, hospitals & clinics, roads, markets, vocational training centres in numerous host communities”, he said.
Shittu while speaking on other Dangote products said, “the ongoing consolidation of Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Salt (NASCON Allied Industries and Dangote Rice into Dangote Foods are part of our strategies to harness the benefits of backward integration via linkages and build a more formidable food company.
“Dangote Sugar Refinery, through its out-grower scheme has provided jobs to thousands of farmers in the host communities. This has greatly helped to reduce unemployment, youth restiveness and improve the wellbeing of the host communities.
“We recorded a milestone on March 22, as Dangote Fertiliser marked two years of commissioning and operations. Dangote Petroleum Refinery was commissioned on May 22, 2023, and has started refining of petroleum products. Some of the byproducts from the refinery are in demand as feedstock in some manufacturing sectors. We are on course to create diverse and ancillary industries across Nigeria”,Shittu said.
In his remarks,the Director General of ECCIMA, Uchechukwu Mbah thanked the management and staff of Dangote Group for their support to ECCIMA. He urged people to always patronise Dangote Cement for quality building.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Sam Udekwe is a journalist working in the News and Current Affairs department, Enugu State Broadcasting Service (ESBS) Enugu. He is well trained in all genres of journalistic venture.
Mr Sam read Mass Communication, graduating all with Distinction in National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma at IMT, Enugu and Madonna University, Okija, Anambra state, while he is presently on his M.Sc programme also in Mass Communication, at National Open University of Nigeria.
He is currently the NUJ Chairman, Enugu state.
samowailo@gmail.com
