The President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed the plan to build in Ogun State, a multi-billion-dollar Seaport, which will be the largest in Nigeria.
He also said two new lines with a capacity of 6.0 million metric tons per annum for the cement plant is being constructed at Itori, Ogun State.
Dangote stated this to the Ogun State Executive Council led by the Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun during a courtesy visit in Abeokuta.
Dangote said “he has decided to return and invest in Ogun State because of the Prince Dapo Abiodun administration’s vision and deliberate policies that focus on attracting investors, as well as the investor-friendly climate that exists in the state.”
He said Ogun State is one of the most attractive investment destinations in Nigeria, positioning itself as the manufacturing ‘bedrock’ of Nigeria.
According to him, we had earlier abandoned our vision of investing in the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ), but because of your policies and investor-friendly environment, I want to say we are back and will work with the state government to return to Olokola, and plans are underway to construct the largest port in the country.
Giving an update on the company’s ongoing projects in the state, Dangote said two new lines with a capacity of 6.0 million metric tons per annum for the cement plant is being constructed at Itori, while the 12 million metric tons per annum cement plant is also located at Ibeshe.
Upon completion, the Dangote assured, the total capacity of the company’s cement plants in the state would be in the neighborhood of 18 million metric tons per annum, making it the highest cement-producing state or region in Africa.
“With the contributions of other cement producers in the state, Ogun remains far ahead of other countries across Africa in terms of cement production,” he said.
Dangote stated that Dangote Cement is the leading cement producer in Africa with a capacity of 52.0 million metric tons per annum across the African continent.
He added that 70 percent of the production is carried out in Nigeria, with the Obajana plant in Kogi State accounting for 16.25 million metric tons per annum, the largest in Africa.
He said investment in the manufacturing of the product has made the nation self-sufficient in cement, just as the country is now self-sufficient in fertilizer, with the surplus going to the export market, thus earning the nation the needed foreign exchange.
While noting that the company’s target is to make Nigeria self-sufficient in whatever it consumes, Dangote informed that the company is currently meeting domestic demand for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from its 650,000 barrels per day refinery at Ibeju-Lekki, as well as refined aviation fuel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).
He said, Nigeria is a growing economy; hence the need for private companies to complement government efforts, assuring that his company would continue to demonstrate its belief in the nation and its people by making investments targeted at transforming the nation’s economy.
Responding, Governor Abiodun emphasized that with the establishment of the Itori cement plant, proposed to produce six million metric tons of cement per annum, and the existing Ibeshe plant, producing 12 million metric tons, cement production in the state would total 18 million metric tons per annum, making it the largest cement producer in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
The governor lauded the company for not shirking its Corporate Social Responsibilities to the host communities, just as it is currently constructing the Inter-change-Papalato-Ilaro road, assuring that his administration is ready to work with the company for the good of the state and the nation as a whole.
