The President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said that the annual production of the the group’s cement subsidiary across Africa now is now 30 million metric tonnes.
Dangote was quoted in a statement on Sunday as saying this at the recently concluded Kaduna International Trade Fair, where he stated that conglomerate planned big for the African economy.
He also urged Africans to look inwards and put their human and natural resources to best use, rather than engage in political conflicts.
Dangote spoke through the group’s Executive Director, Mr. Mansur Ahmad.
He said that the group’s cement production had surpassed Nigeria’s average total consumption of 20 million metric tonnes.
He added that the company had also commenced cement production in some African countries such as Senegal, Cameroon and South Africa, saying that at the completion of projects in eleven other African countries, the conglomerate’s total production would have surpassed 50 million metric tonnes.
According to him, Dangote Cement in Nigeria controls about 65 per cent of the market and about 30 per cent of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
“The investments in other African countries are strategic and they are aimed at supporting governments across the continent by creating thousands of jobs for the people,” he said.
Dangote also stated that his involvement in petrochemicals, fertilizers and petroleum refining was another bold step at helping to reduce poverty in Africa through the promotion of gainful employment.
The commencement of an oil refinery and other petrochemicals plants, he said, would make Nigeria independent, adding that the present development of depending on other countries for refined petroleum products despite its huge crude resources was unacceptable.
