In complementing the federal government’s economic recovery and growth plan, president of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said the Group has engaged in strategic investments in the country.
Dangote made this known at the flagship of the conglomerate, the Dangote Cement Plc, which commenced the training of its newly engaged managers in order to sustain its leadership and competitiveness in the industry.
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, Dangote said that the decision of the government at diversifying the economy away from oil only to an agriculture centred one remains the viable solution to creating a healthy economy and that private sector has important roles to play which was why he has taken up the challenge to lead the way as a leading private sector operator.
He said it was because of his belief in the government approach at re-energising the economy and make it export oriented made him to step up his investment in agriculture especially in the area of food sufficiency.
According to him, Nigeria has wasted so much foreign exchange importing foods that ordinarily should be produced locally and even exported and that until a new approach at redirecting the economy from import dependent to an export one, which the present government is leading, no meaningful changes can happen.
“We have invested massively in rice, sugar, dairy products, and tomatoes. Our rice-out grower scheme will produce rice by next year and that will reduce our rice import to nearly zero because Nigeria imports more than half of the rice it consumes.”
Group managing director and chief executive officer of the Dangote Cement, Joseph Makoju lauded the programme, saying it would support the overall drive of the conglomerate. Makoju said the management scheme was part of the effort of the conglomerate to sustain its exponential growth, competitiveness and market leadership. He said: “We are committed to attract top talents into our business for our current and future business needs.”
