Lagos: Mrs Fatima Aliko-Dangote, the Group Executive Director of Commercial Operations at Dangote Group, has reaffirmed the company’s dedication to the full industrialisation of Nigeria. She announced this commitment during the 2025 Lagos International Trade Fair organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs Aliko-Dangote, represented by Mrs Funmi Sanni, Group Head of Sales and Marketing Director at Dangote Cement Plc, emphasized that industrialisation is the most viable path for value addition, economic diversification, and large-scale job creation for Nigeria’s youth. She also unveiled plans to expand the Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s capacity from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million per day by 2028.
Mrs Aliko-Dangote highlighted the timely and appropriate theme of the ongoing trade fair, ‘Connecting Businesses, Creating Value,’ which aligns with the chamber’s strategic vision of bringing together stakeholders, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and consumers. She stressed that as Africa’s leading indigenous conglomerate, Dangote Group is connected to various businesses worldwide and consistently creates value.
The company’s investment philosophy is centered around the belief that only Africans can develop Africa. This is reflected in their recent groundbreaking ceremony for a $2.5 billion Urea Fertiliser Production Complex in Gode, Ethiopia, in partnership with Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH). The project is expected to generate thousands of jobs and boost agricultural output in Ethiopia.
Additionally, the Dangote Group has commenced a $400 million expansion of the Dangote Cement Plant in Ethiopia and has operationalized a new 3Mta grinding plant in C´te d’Ivoire. A new 6Mta integrated cement plant is also under construction in Itori Ogun state, dedicated to exporting to neighboring countries.
In Nigeria, Dangote Fertiliser Ltd., Dangote Polypropylene, Dangote Sugar Refinery, and NASCON Allied Industries Plc (Dangote Salt) continue to lead their respective sectors. The group is also committed to ending raw sugar imports by investing over $700 million in the Sugar Backward Integration initiative.
During the trade fair, Aliko-Dangote expressed hopes for expanding awareness of their innovative products, generating sales, and opening new markets to contribute to job creation and economic development. Mr Ravindra Singhvi, CEO of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, unveiled two new sugar pack categories, acknowledging the group’s growth as a significant player globally.
Singhvi announced plans for two major projects focused on producing sugar in Nigeria for Nigerians, enhancing the company’s capabilities to meet market demands. New product offerings include 25kg and 100-gram bags, catering to changing consumer preferences and market dynamics.
Mr Gabriel Idahosa, President of LCCI, highlighted the crucial role of visionary industrial leadership in navigating the complexities of a rapidly evolving global economy. He praised Dangote Group’s industrial leadership and its impact on Nigeria’s economic outlook, emphasizing the LCCI’s commitment to fostering partnerships, promoting policy advocacy, and creating thriving business platforms.