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Tag: Dangote

  • Dangote visits Siemens Africa Booth at Tech Fair in Germany [Photo]

    Africa’s richest man, Mr Aliko Dangote, recently led an executive delegation of his Dangote Industries Limited to Germany.

    While in the European nation, the team paid a courtesy visit to the Siemens Africa Booth at the ongoing Hannover Technology Fair.

    The Hannover Technology Fair is a leading global trade fair for industrial technology, providing insights into the wave of industrial revolution and how it is reshaping industries of the future.

    It was gathered that key discussions at the event centred on how Africa can ride the ongoing wave of technology-enabled disruption to accelerate industrialization and deliver sustainable socio-economic development across the continent and indeed the world.

    The business mogul looked into how his company can tap into the sector and possibly become a major force in the ICT world.

  • Why I didn’t bill Dangote to perform at daughter’s wedding-Alibaba

    Truth be told,when the richest man in Africa invites you to anchor his daughter’s wedding , it should be an avenue to make mega money. However, Nigerian comedian, Alibaba has revealed that he didn’t charge Aliko Dangote for Fatima’s wedding.

    Recall that Alibaba reiterated this on Instagram.

    According to him: ”Dangote is my friend and I chose to play a part in the wedding ceremony of his daughter for free. I have done a lot of events for him such as dinners, luncheons, award ceremonies, among other events and I was nicely paid. For instance, if (former President Olusegun) Obasanjo, calls me for an event, I would handle the event for free because of my relationship with him. If he then offers me anything out of the abundance of his heart, I would take it. I don’t see why anybody should raise eyebrows over my decision. Other comedians were there and they did well” he told Punch.

    In his Instagram post, Alibaba complained about how tough it was for him to control the crowd at the wedding.

    “The challenge of being an MC at a state function can be daunting. After dealing with protocol, then come the issues of timing and duration. There seems to be a long journey towards achieving the seeming decorum”.

     

    Shocking! What Chris Okotie did to Alibaba

  • I trained you to take on any kind of weight on your shoulders- Dangote tells newly wed daughter[VIDEO]

    Nigerian business mogul,Aliko Dangote has said he trained his newly wed daughter, Fatima to take on any kind of weight on her shoulders.

    In a profound video message, he described Fatima as “an excellent representation of what I call my values”.

    According to him:”Fatima, my baby, my youngest, my sweetheart this is a bittersweet time for any parent

     

    “I watched you blossom into an excellent representation of what I call my values; you are indeed pure to them.

     

    “I trained you to take on any kind of weight on your shoulders and also to be bold and respectful.

     

    “Jamil has been a son to me even before I realized he had gone inside my garden to pluck my Juliet rose

     

    “I am here anytime you need me and I love you unconditionally.

     

    “I have done enough homework to know that Jamil will always respect the ground you walk on. Good luck on this new journey my baby. The time has come.

     

    “Be loved, be very happy and I love you very very dearly.”

     

    You are a proof that God is real- Adesua tells Banky W on birthday

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BgzWlXsAaU0/?taken-by=papilonmexy

  • Gates, Dangote, six Govs sign MoU on immunization in Sokoto [Photos]

    Bill Gates, Aliko Dangote and six Governors Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding on improved access to immunization across Northern Nigeria.

    Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto was joined by Kashim Shettima of Borno, Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano, Muhammed Abubakar of Bauchi and Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna at the signing ceremony which held at the Sokoto Government House. Yobe state governor was represented.

    Health Minister, professor Isaac Adewole also witnessed the signing ceremony.

    Delivering the opening remarks, Tambuwal said all the states are committed to improving vaccine availability, encouraging stronger community engagement and securing financing.

    “In addition, we will ensure strong monitoring and evaluation while at the same time, accountability mechanisms will be put in place,” he added.

    Speaking at the event, Bill Gates said all partners are committed to ensuring maximum number of children are reached, adding that the MoUs are intended to enable states achieve targeted coverage.

    “Routine immunization is crucial to ensuring that every child is protected against vaccine-preventable diseases, helping them achieve their potential and live full, productive lives. We are ready t support the states in reaching the targets set out in the MoUs,” he added.

    He said with the election season approaching, all hands must be on deck to ensure the targets are met. He projected that all partners are committed to reaching at least 80+ coverage in the coming year.

    Gates commended all the signatory-states for their commitment, adding that Nigeria is so far on the right track not just in efforts to fight polio, but on achieving targets in routine immunization.

    “My request is that all the Governors should review campaigns and ensure that in the next two years, we complete polio eradication. On routine immunization, the opportunity is fantastic, vaccinations are phenomenal on their impacts. We can prevent millions of deaths by doing work on RI.

    In his remarks, Dangote emphasized the need for governments to be up to date on the payment of their counterpart funds, and to work hard on improving data especially at the grassroots level.

    “We are delighted that the MoU has been extended, reaffirming Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and Yobe states’ commitment to the health of their citizens. Our expectation now is that this commitment will be translated into concrete action,” he stated.

    He commended both the federal and governments for working on data improvement and for reaffirming their commitments to tackling preventable diseases.

    In their separate remarks, the Governors expressed delight at the signing of the MoUs, and vowed to ensure full implementation in their various states.

  • Rice production: Dangote inaugurates multi billion naira processing plant in Jigawa

    …Promises to end rice importation

    The Dangote Rice Outgrower Scheme in Jigawa State reached a turning point yesterday when the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote laid a foundation stone for the construction of a multi-billion Naira rice processing mill in Hadin, Jigawa state.

    The mill with capacity to process 16 metric tons of paddy rice per hour, when completed will in a year process paddy rice worth N14 billion bought directly from the famers in Jigawa at market rate.

    Speaking at the ground breaking ceremony in Hadin, Kaugama local government area, Dangote said the commencement of the construction of the integrated rice processing plant was the culmination of series of events which began with the signing of a $1billion agreement with the federal government for the integrated rice production in Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kano, Niger and Jigawa.

    “We have continued to pioneer new approaches to empowering our primary stakeholders and our farmers, through the Dangote outgrowers programme thereby creating thousands of jobs, increasing incomes poverty reduction in rural communities by providing high quality agro-inputs, technical support and secured market for farmers. Also, creating access to finance, mechanization and irrigation services so as to enhance agricultural productivity.”, he stated

    Recalling that the Dangote Rice limited started the outgrowers scheme in 2016 with thousands of hectares of land in Hadejia, Jigawa state, creating over 10,000 jobs (direct and indirect) to farmers, the business mogul said with the new ultra modern mill enough paddy rice will be grown and harvested for processing.

    According to him, the mill which will take only months for installation and commissioning is the first in the series of five other mills coming up in Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Niger States in the first phase, while in the second phase, other mills will be built in Nasarawa, Kogi, and other states.

    Said he: When these planned six mills come fully on stream, we will achieve a capacity of seven hundred thousand metric tons per annum of Par boiled rice, which will make Dangote Rice the largest rice producer in Africa and will make a bold step in making Nigeria self-sufficient in Rice production, stop importation Nduka save the nation foreign exchange ”

    Dangote stated further that towards co-creating value for all stakeholders, the company has engaged about 20,000 out growers who are expected to produce an average of 180,000 tons of paddy rice on about 30,000 hectares of land. “We are focused on engaging in the region of 300,000 farmers in the next 12 months when our rice mills are all functional and we achieve steady state.

    “We will continue to launch massive agricultural projects across the country in rice and dairy farming. Our push for backward integration in providing our own raw materials on a massive scale has led to the planned investment of $4.6 billion over the next three years in sugar, rice and dairy production alone. That will eliminate the country’s reliance on imported materials, and the foreign exchange headaches that comes with it.”

    In his opening remarks, the Dangote Group Executive Director, Devakumar Edwin explained that the Dangote Rice team has been involved in scaling up the outgrower operations to a least 5,000 hectares this season and this will very soon increase and grow to over 15,000 hectares cultivated per cycle or season to fully optimise operations.

    He said the establishment of a Multi-billion Naira state-of-the-art integrated rice processing facility to process at least 260 metric tons of rice paddy per day grown which is produced from thousands of local rice out growers within Jigawa state is a giant step forward and expresses his company’s confidence and faith in local farmers to continuously stand with Dangote to make this project a success.

    Located on 25 hectares site in Hadin, Edwin noted that the mill is earmarked to begin operations in the last quarter of 2018. “During the construction phase and when it becomes fully operational, hundreds of employment opportunities will be created, knowledge transference and skills developed among our teeming youthful population thereby boosting local economy.”

    According to him, “the Jigawa famers are in for a good times as the 125, 000 metric tons of paddy rice that this plant requires for processing will be brought from the farmers of Jigawa for an estimated purchase price of N14 billion per annum. This is a huge benefit for the farmers in Jigawa. This mill will be producing high quality parboiled rice that competes with the best in the world this is in-line with our continuous aim to touch the lives of millions who believe in the Dangote brand.

    “Jigawa State is endowed and blessed with vast fertile land, water resources, climate and progressive people, as well as one of the fastest growing agricultural destinations in Nigeria, was identified as an ideal location for us to set up our first facility in Nigeria. This obviously reinforces our commitment to supporting the efforts of the present administration in developing a robust agro-industry in Nigeria.

    “We made commitment to Nigerians that we will produce 1 million metric ton of quality par boiled rice. Since then we have embarked on several initiatives towards achieving this objective with support and collaboration from state and federal government agencies, ministries and departments, non-governmental organisations, community based organisations, traditional and financial institutions, etc., we continue to pioneer new approaches to empowering our primary stakeholders and our farmers, through the Dangote outgrower program thereby creating thousands of jobs, increasing incomes, poverty reduction in rural communities by providing high quality agro-inputs, technical support and secured market for farmers.”

    Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru expressed delight at the stage of the Dangote Rice project in the state saying it was in line with the vision of the Invest Jigawa, an organ set up to accelerate investments in the state.

    He said Jigawa is one of the States reputed to be on top on ease of doing business in Nigeria saying the Dangote Rice presence in the state is a pointer to the fact. He added that the state is also in the forefront of the diversification efforts of the federal government from oil to non oil ventures especially agriculture.

    He promised that the state will be willing to do whatever it will take to ensure the Dang9te rice operate smoothly to the satisfaction of .all parties in the state

  • Ambode, Amosun, Dangote others attend late Deji Tinubu’s burial

    The remains of Deji Tinubu, Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Commerce and Industry was buried on Tuesday at the Vaults and Gardens, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    Recall that Tinubu slumped and died last Thursday while playing a novelty football match in Epe, during the retreat of the Lagos State Executive Council.

     

    Earlier, a funeral service was held for him at the City of David parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Victoria Island.

    At the church service were Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos; Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, wife of the Vice President, Dolapo Osinbajo; a former Governor of Anambra, Peter Obi and members of the State Executive Council, among others.

    At the Vaults and Gardens where Tinubu was buried, well-wishers, friends and others were in tears as the late sports icon was laid to rest.

    Amosun eulogised Tinubu and lamented that he died on his birthday.

    Also speaking, Dangote said late Tinubu would “surely be missed.”

  • BUA lied on claims to mines ownership – Dangote

    The management of Dangote Industries Limited has again rejected BUA Group’s claim to being the rightful owner of Mining Lease No 2541.

    Dangote, in a statement yesterday, said its reaction became necessary as a result of its status as a publicly quoted company and to further re-assure its shareholders, the regulators and members of the public that the company is and remains a responsible corporate citizen.

    Faulting BUA’s claim that the Dangote Group is trying to monopolise the cement business in the country, the statement said BUA has willfully, deliberately and mischievously concealed the fact that it has at least 12 Mining/Quarry Leases within and around the area in question as opposed to this sole Mining Lease No 2541 owned by the Dangote Group.

    It added: “First and foremost, there is no status quo order made by any court that allows BUA to continue mining over the disputed Mining Lease area. In fact, there is no status quo order at all. It is critical for us to point out that there is currently pending, a Motion for Interlocutory Injunction dated 27 April 2016 seeking to restrain the BUA Group from continuing with its illegal mining activities on the Mining Lease Area.

    “But in spite of having been served with this application and contrary to all tenets of the law, which forbid a party served with an interlocutory injunction motion from taking any step in respect of the subject matter of the suit, the BUA Group has in utter disdain to the court continued with its illegal mining activities.”

    Dangote said BUA applied for a Mining Lease over the same area in 2013, but the application was rejected by the ministry on the sole ground that it overlaps ML. 2541, which at the time belonged to AICO.

    “If BUA had title that dates back to 1998, is there any conceivable reason why it will apply for the same title over the same area in 2013?” the statement queried.

    Dangote, while debunking the claim by BUA that it is trying to monopolise the cement business, stated: “It is misleading for BUA to falsely accuse Dangote of undermining its operations and attempting to create a monopoly in the cement Industry in Nigeria, as we have always coexisted peacefully with other competitors in Obajana and Ibese.”

    The Dangote Group affirmed that it has been the one in possession of the Mining Lease since 2016 and this was recently confirmed by the Kogi State High Court’s judgment delivered on October 27, 2017 in the charge: State v. Joshua Oghene, Hon. Haruna Afegbua and Bulus Golit, which sentenced the Chief Security Officer of BUA Group, Mr. Bulus Golit to one year imprisonment without any option of fine, for attacking Dangote Group’s officials and workers in the Mining Lease No. 2541.

    “The imprisonment of BUA Chief Security Officer among other things has confirmed that the claim by the BUA Group that it has been in possession is totally fallacious,” the statement said.

  • Alleged theft: FG orders Dangote, Bua to vacate mining site in Edo

    Sequel to the ongoing crisis between heavy weight manufacturing companies; Dangote Group and BUA Group over the mining right in Obuh community, in Okpella, Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, the Federal Government has ordered the parties involved should vacate the site to avoid break down of law and order in the area.


    But the community leaders who expressed worry over the development, accused the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals of causing the crisis by giving licences to the feuding parties to mine in the same site and urged both the Federal and Edo State Governments to urgently find a peaceful resolution to the crisis, adding that further escalation of the crisis will negatively affect both revenue and employment opportunities of the community people.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who disclosed the Federal Government’s directive at a meeting with leaders and elders of Okpella community at Government House in Benin City, Monday, noted that parties involved in the crisis were in court, therefore, the Federal Government had decided that further mining in Obuh community be suspended to allow for peaceful resolution of the crisis in court.

    Obaseki said: “We are following the rule of law. There is a dispute, it is not unusual to have disputes over assets but there are laid down methods of resolving disputes of this nature. What we understand as a government is that there is dispute or claim between two parties over an existing mining right and the Mining Act of 2007 is quite clear.

    The Federal Ministry of Mines decides on how to award or issue leases. “In this particular case, there are multiple claims and they have gone to court. We have a letter from the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power instructing that the party currently mining that particular site should vacate pending the outcome of the decision in court. So the position of Edo State Government today is that the court orders must be obeyed.”

    Federal Government´s instruction should be obeyed, that mine should be shut until the outcome or the determination of the case in court.” Speaking also, spokesman of Okpella community, Mr Ayuba Giwa, said “What we are saying in our response to the reference of the matter to the Presidency is that we blame the Federal Ministry of Mines and Solid Minerals as they ought to be more prudent in granting mineral licence.

    We employed all parties to abide by the rule of law and the rule of law includes the fact that in 1994, Okpella took this matter to the Federal High Court in Benin City and judgment was given in favour of Okpella. “It became clear to us that the Ministry was not complying with the judgment which was partly responsible for this debacle we are now. In 2014, Okpella went to the Federal High Court, Benin City, so it is not just only BUA and Dangote that is in court, Okpella is also in court.

    So it is fair and just that the matter is resolved, including the interest of the community and Edo State because any breach of peace will impact on our people first and that is why we came to see Mr Governor,” he stated.

  • Dangote accuses BUA of stealing, illegally mining limestone on its properties

    The management of Dangote Group has accused BUA of engaging in illegal mining of limestone deposited in its Mining Lease No. 2541 located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene, Kogi State.

    Dangote’s Executive Director, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, at a press conference in Lagos yesterday frowned at the media war instigated by BUA against the Dangote Group over a matter which is already pending before the Federal High Court in Benin-City.

    Edwin revealed that “Dangote Group validly acquired its interest and mining title in the disputed Mining Lease No. 2541 from AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Limited sometime in 2014. AICO itself had applied to the Mining Cadastre Office and Ministry of Mines and Steel Development for the said Mining Lease No. 2541 located in a boundary town of Oguda/Ubo in Okene, Kogi State in 2007.

    The ministry in exercise of its power under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, granted and issued to AICO ML. No. 2541 for the renewable period of 25 years effective from February 1, 2008, and to expire on January 31, 2033. Thus AICO by virtue of the said grant, became vested with the legal title over ML. No. 2541.

    “In 2014, the Dangote Group approached AICO and indicated interest in acquiring AICO’s stake in ML No. 2541. In 2014, AICO in exercise of its right under the Mining Act, applied to the Ministry for the transfer of its title in the ML No. 2541 to Dangote Group. AICO and Dangote Group equally paid all the transfer and statutory fees demanded by the Ministry.”

    He further explained: “By a letter dated 05 February 2016, the ministry wrote to the Managing Director of the Dangote Group to convey its approval for the Transfer/Assignment of ML No. 2541 from AICO to Dangote Group with effect from February 3, 2016. Following the successful transfer of ML. NO. 2541 to Dangote Group, the Group became the holder of the Mining Lease No. 2541.”

    He said even BUA in its processes in court, acknowledged that these illegal mining leases which it claimed were granted in 1997 were temporary mining leases.

    Edwin further stated that the then Minister of Solid Minerals during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, sometime in 2006 waded into the dispute and invited the managements of Edo Cement Company Limited and AICO Ado Ibrahim & Company Limited for a meeting and that in the course of the meeting, the then minister again queried the legality of Mining Lease Nos 18912 and 18913 and the power of the governor of Edo State to grant such mining leases.

    “At the end of the meeting, the minister declared the Edo Cement’s Mining Leases Nos. 18912 and 18913 illegal and declared the mining site open for interested investors. Given that AICO’s then existing Mining Lease No. 17825 was yet to be renewed even though application for renewal was pending, AICO in 2007 (under the Mining Act, 2007) applied for the fresh Mining Lease No. 2541 and the ministry granted it in 2008 without any objection from Edo Cement Company,” he said. Edwin said AICO, which sold the right to Dangote, continued its mining operations in the Mining Lease No. 2541 undisturbed until BUA Group acquired Edo Cement Company Limited and resuscitated the dispute again.

    Edwin further revealed that it was the attempt by BUA to encroach on AICO’s mining title in Mining Lease No. 2541 that prompted AICO to write to the Ministry in 2015 complaining of BUA’s encroachment.

    He said: “The ministry, after investigation in the same 2015 by the letter dated 21 January 2015, wrote to the chairman of BUA Group directing BUA to stop mining within the ML. No. 2541. It was this same letter from the ministry that prompted BUA to file a Suit at the Federal High Court Benin in 2016.”

    Edwin said: “It is therefore appalling that BUA Group in the midst of these overwhelming facts would still want the public to believe that Dangote Group is after its business when in actual fact BUA has been the one mining illegally in Dangote Mining Lease and attacking its officials without any justification…

    “The crocodile tears being shed by BUA in its cry for help and open letter to the president is most laughable and a total distraction from BUA’s continuous illegal activities within Dangote’s ML 2541 aimed at depleting and exhausting the limestone reserves in order to sabotage Dangote Group’s legitimate investment.”

    Meanwhile, BUA group has dismissed the claims by Dangote Group, describing it as a desperate move to disregard judicial process and scheme it out of business.

    In a statement by its Group Head, Corporate Communications, Otega Ogra, the company said it was compelled to clarify the cycle of misinformation being spread by Dangote, adding that BUA does not have any operations whatsoever in Okene, Kogi State where the purported ML2541 is situated.

    The statement read in parts: “This latest statement by Dangote Group stinks of desperation in its continued attempt to disregard the judicial process and scheme a viable competitor out of business as has been their legendary antecedent.

    “We thus wish to reiterate once again that whilst we do not want to join issues with anyone on this matter as it is currently before a court of competent jurisdiction, we are however compelled to use the opportunity presented by Edwin Devakumar’s reckless statements to clarify the cycle of misinformation being proliferated.

    “In specific response to Devakumar’s claim of BUA operating on ML2541 in Okene, Kogi State, we wish to restate that BUA does not have any operations whatsoever in Okene, Kogi State where the purported ML2541 is situated.

    “Our mining operations are limited to Obu-Okpella, Edo State for which licences ML18912 & 18913 were issued and revalidate by the same ministry in a publication. These licences have been owned, operated and fulfilled by BUA and its predecessors-in-title since 1976 as it is also a notorious fact that we have exercised total control and possession over the mining area covered by the above mining leases since 1976 when we operated under the name of Bendel Cement Company Limited. We thus want to excuse Edwin’s claims to a lack of basic knowledge and understanding of the geography of Nigeria but he will be better served if he seeks professional opinion in critically understanding the geography of Nigeria or he should otherwise refer to documents from the boundary commission which clearly delineates boundaries within Nigeria.

    “It is public information that neither Dangote nor AICO or anyone for that matter can claim ownership of ML2541 as was stated in a court injunction by a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja in suit FHC/LK/CS/25/2017 between Alhaji Mohammed Otaru Adeika & Ors. Versus AICO Ado Ibrahim and Company Limited, Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel, The Mining Cadestre Office and Dangote Industries Plc. How then can they continue to claim in obvious disregard of that court order that the ML2541 belongs to them? No one is above the law.

    “The antecedents of Dangote Plc in trying to out-muscle competition is not in doubt. Various cases abound within and outside the cement industry – one of which was their taking over of the limestone deposits of another competing entity in the South-south region of Nigeria until they ceded him 25% of their company. This was in turn resold to them for hundreds of millions of dollars. Or is it the case of Ibeto whose business was almost driven under but for the prompt intervention of the then late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. Or is it the case of Polo House Jetty Tincan previously owned by his uncle, Usman Dantata, whose licence was revoked by NPA and reallocated to Dangote on the same day in order to prevent a sugar refinery to be sited there by a competitor.

    “The facts of the matter as far as we are concerned is that BUA’s operations are in Obu, Okpella, Edo State and not Okene, Kogi. We once again ask that all parties should wait for the court to resolve the issue. We will not be cowed or intimidated and will continue to seek redress through the proper legal channels.”

  • Dangote makes World 50 Most Influential people’s record

    Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, has been honored for his contribution to increasing local food production and lessen food imports in Nigeria.

    Dangote was among the 50 most influential names honored by Bloomberg for their contribution to humanity at Bloomberg’s Annual Gala Dinner in New York.

    According to Bloomberg, Dangote has been honoured for “his outstanding commitment of over 4 billion dollars to increase Nigeria’s food production capacity.

    He was also commended for focusing on domestic production of sugar and dairy, with 500 million litres of local milk to be produced by 2019.

    Earlier this year. Dangote announced 50 billion dollars plan to invest in renewable energy.

    Represented in New York by the CEO of his Foundation, Dangote was joined by electric car visionary Elon Musk; Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmon; Beatrice Fihn, anti-nuclear weapons advocate and Nobel Peace Laureate.

    Also honoured, were Amazon’s Jeff Bezos; Robert Mueller, special counsel investigating Donald Trump’s potential collusion with Russia and Vitalik Buterin, whose invention of the cryptocurrency Ethereum is revolutionizing the new blockchain craze.

    “What sets The Bloomberg 50 apart from other lists is that each person chosen has demonstrated measurable change over the past year,” Bloomberg Businessweek editor Megan Murphy, said.