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Dangote Rejects Monopoly Claims, Says ‘We’ve Never Stopped Anyone From Entering Same Business
On Saturday, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest person, disclosed that he did not receive any incentives or support from the Nigerian government to build his $20 billion refinery situated in the Lekki Free Trade Zone.
Dangote made this disclosure during a visit from the leadership of the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and his deputy, Benjamin Kalu.
He specifically stated that he paid $100 million to the Lagos State government to acquire the land where the world largest Refinery and petrochemical company was built.
Highlighting the widespread support from the Nigerian public, Dangote remarked, “The majority of the population supports us. We remain undeterred and will continue our efforts.”
He said, “You know whatever we do we add value, we are not an assembly plant. When I said an assembly, we are not packaging plant. If you look at all our operations as Dangote we actually add value.
“We take local materials and turn them into products and we sell. So which means it’s a circular economy which we are practising, everything is here. Everything is in Nigeria – the farmers, the banks or maybe the people in the mines and banks everything is about local.
“It is the main reason we are number two in flour milling but we saw it because the wheat is being imported abroad and the more wheat we use the more jobs we create out there and that is why we cancelled that. We remain only sugar, salt is not really a very big business. So that is what we have done.
“So now, what are we doing? What we are doing is see we are always the first mover. You know, we always move first and other people will follow and we have never, ever either consciously or unconsciously stopped anybody from doing the same businesses that we are doing.
“To the contrary when you look at it when we first came into cement production it was actually only Lafarge that was operating here in Nigeria and nobody called Lafarge monopoly. But we Dangote, the first plant we set up was 45 million tons against less than two million of local production but when we got in there people now start saying now monopoly, monopoly and this is sad.
“This is really very disheartening when people keep talking monopoly, monopoly – monopoly is only when you stop people, you block them through legal means or whatever, no it is a level playing field.
“Whatever Dangote was given like cement, for example others too were given. Some of them may even get more than us.
“We are always very careful. You heard what I said in the refinery; we did not and I said we did not collect one single incentive from the Federal Government of Nigeria or from even the Lagos State.
“Yes, Lagos State maybe they gave us a good deal but we paid $100 million for the land. It wasn’t free land; we paid for it.
“So, people are always looking at the other side, they are not looking at the real picture. Secondly, this country has been having petrol issues…”
Dangote, however, requested that the House of Representatives conduct an investigation into the quality of diesel and petrol sold at filling stations nationwide.
This comes as he refutes allegations that the petroleum products from his refinery are of poorer quality than imported ones.
Dangote urged the House to establish a committee to conduct thorough tests on products at various filling stations across the country, highlighting the detrimental effects of substandard fuel on vehicles and engines.
He emphasised the need to address this issue to protect consumers and prevent further damage.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
In line with discussions reached after consultation with relevant stakeholders, the Plateau State Government has approved immediate implementation of the N70, 000 minimum wage for the workforce in Plateau State.
The cheering news is contained in a Press Statement signed by the Head of Civil Service in the State, Stephen Pam Gadong.
Full text of the statement reads in part:
Following the Agreement of the Committee on Consequential Adjustment on Salaries on 13th, November, 2024, the Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr. Caleb Mutfwang, has approved the immediate implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage for workers in the state.
The Implementation is a demonstration of the Governor’s commitment to prioritizing the wellbeing of the workforce in acknowledgement of their invaluableble role in driving the State’s developmental goals.
As the new wage policy is administered, Civil Servants are encouraged to embrace this gesture by recommitting to their duties with renewed dedication and zeal in order to foster a culture of productivity and excellence in service in the State.
In a bid to ensure timely declaration of liquidation dividends to uninsured depositors of the failed Heritage Bank (In-Liquidation), the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has commenced the process of auctioning the landed properties and chattels of the defunct bank.
According to the Corporation, this exercise is in line with its statutory powers as the Liquidator of failed banks under section 62 (1)(d) of the NDIC Act, 2023, noting that; “This is another follow-up action sequel to the disposal of physical assets and chattels belonging to the defunct bank at its leased locations nationwide”.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Director, Communication and Public Affairs Department, Bashir A.
Therefore, the auction of the landed assets shall be by competitive bidding in sealed bids scheduled to take place at the six (6) selected locations of the Corporation across the country, for the affected 36 branches of the failed bank beginning from Wednesday 4th December 2024.
“Buyers who wish to participate in the auction are expected to follow laid down guidelines purposely aimed at ensuring transparency, fair competition, equity, and accountability to enable recovery of commensurate values from the exercise. This is critical for the payment of liquidation dividends to eligible claimants.
The Corporation shall give preference to financial institutions who are willing to buy at the highest auctioned value to allow for the continuation of provision of banking services to the Nigerian public at the designated locations”, adding; “This is desirable towards bolstering financial inclusion as envisaged by the financial system regulatory authorities.
“However, Corporate bodies and Private individuals willing to compete are equally eligible to compete in the process without prejudice, the auction shall be open and competitive to all bidders.
Furthermore, bidders will be allowed to inspect the properties and chattels across all locations one week before the date of disposal.”
Importantly too, the statement said; “All interested parties are to make available 10% bid security of the value of their sealed bids to be dropped in the bid box provided at the specific centre out of the six locations of the Corporation as contained in the published advertisements.
“All interested bidders are advised to submit their bids only at the designated NDIC offices covering their choices amongst Abuja, Lagos, Bauchi, Kano, Enugu, and Port Harcourt.”
Meanwhile, the Corporation has vowed that there would be no hiding place for debtors of the defunct Heritage Bank whose financial obligation portfolio is in the region of over N700 billion.
The Naira experienced a slight depreciation yesterday, slipping to N1,740 per dollar in the parallel market compared to its previous rate of N1,735 per dollar on Tuesday.
According to data from FMDQ, the indicative exchange rate for the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) strengthened, rising to N1,645.4 per dollar from Tuesday’s rate of N1,689.88 per dollar. This marks an appreciation of N44.48 for the Naira.
The market also saw a significant increase in dollar trading activity, with turnover climbing by 122.5 percent to reach $236.84 million, up from $106.44 million the previous day.
As a result, the gap between the parallel market and the NAFEM exchange rate widened, now standing at N94.6 per dollar, up from N45.12 per dollar recorded on Tuesday.
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