Foremost industrialist and richest man in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has restated his commitment to assist the Federal Government in turning around and diversifying the country’s economy.

He said this in Lagos on Friday where he was honoured as “Man of the Year 2015’’ by The Guardian Newspapers Limited.

He said that he was working hard with his company to take Nigeria to the next level and that within the next two and half years, Nigeria was going to excel in some critical areas.

 

“We want to do that by looking at critical areas where Nigeria is not doing well in terms of local production and tackle the problem areas.

“Number one is refinery, Dangote Group is building a refinery which will produce 650,000 barrels of petrol per day; the current capacity that we have as a country now, both the ones that are working and the ones not working, is just 450,000 barrels per day.

“Our petrochemical is ten times that of Eleme, we are at 1.3 million, Eleme is 120,000, so it will be the largest petrochemical industry in Africa.

“In fertilizer production, we are not only trying to satisfy the market, but our size is three million tonnes which is ten times more than what is available in Nigeria today.

“We are trying to make sure we satisfy the local needs and also export and we thought about how to address our power issues, the only way we can address power issues is to have enough gas and sort out distribution.

“Distribution is important because unless you collect money from the consumers, you cannot grow.

“There are two sub-sea gas pipelines coming from Bonny which will produce about three billion volume of gas which is exactly about the same size of LNG.

“We are committed to turning around the economy of Nigeria and in the next two and a half years, Nigeria will be the highest oil petroleum products export country, will be the highest in terms of fertilizer export, will be the highest in petrochemicals export.

“Nigeria will also be the highest in terms of cement export in Africa,’’ he said.

Speaking on bailouts for the states, Dangote said: “I don’t believe the Federal Government should continue to be bailing out the states, the states have to sit down and plan to cut costs instead of looking for bailout and being lazy.

“They can create jobs and give incentives to people to come and invest, they should assure people that they are not going to be slammed with various taxes which is what some of them do.’’

Dangote added that the current situation of the economy would push people to work harder, to work in terms of diversifying the economy.

Earlier, the publisher of Guardian Newspapers Limited, Lady Maiden Ibru, had said that they were honouring Dangote because of his impact on the lives of Nigerians and Africa.

She restated the role of the newspaper in the society as working for the enduring benefits of the people and being critical and identifying as well as publicizing heroes as a way of redirecting the values of the society.

The first “Man of the Year’’ award was presented to former president Olusegun Obasanjo in 1987.

Some of the guests at the event were former governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Bishop Alexander Gianniris of the Diocese of Greek Orthodox Church, and former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Chris Ali. (NAN)


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Source:http://www.nta.ng/news/20160423-dangote-pledges-to-help-fg-turn-around-nigerias-economy/

You can only try. Naija is bigger than anyone. I pray he doesn't have motives behind this

I hereby present you with award for Man of the decade.

Has dangote joined MMM? Since he is pledging help for FG .and you can't get help without registering and providing help first . Is someone thinking what I'm thinking?

Patriotism blowing off the roofs.

Ok

OK.. Nice

Instead of selling Nigeria to this industrialist, we foolishly voted in a senile old dullard to lead a complex country like Nigeria that should be ran like a business. Dangote pls buy Nigeria and help her get out of this unprecedented recession

I pray

The man though we'll meaning is a rent seeker.

The ban on cement made him extremely wealthy and seriously short changed nigerians. His cement company made a post tax profit in 2014 which was 52% of sales.

That means if he slashed his ex-factory price by 50% he would still make a profit! The price at one time was astronomical.

As long as he does not demand more protection for any new business venture, all well and good. Otherwise, the cost on the populace will be heavy.

And so the monopoly continues In our land Nigeria.

Only God can turn it around man no boast for us abeg

Ok nah. He should start by reducing the price of cement.

dangote....okay o.. I see him running for president in the future... Who sees this too?

I wish u best of luck if it is true From ur heart.

He has bold and good ideas but he has reached this height PARTLY because he has enjoyed govt patronage,waivers and unfair dollar advantage.
If Dangote had been made to compete on a level playing field with other entrepreneurs,he wont av mafe it this far.
Dangote simply used political patronage to get here,not that he is d most ingenious bizman in nigeria

Make Dangote go sit down for bush, him and his greedy likes killed Nigeria

The solution is in my head office.

I wonder if theses guys think we are all gullible
Dangote have a strong grip on cement production in Nigeria
How has that change the price and value of cement for Nigerians?
Let Dangote declare his companies profit and tax 1st
We didn't vote Dangote but Buhari.
Let Buhari get to work ASAP

This is why i love that man

He really should be our president4 life.

u had ur chance dangote and u refuse to do it
... mmm has been doing it for ova some mont now so we dont need ur help anymore dangote, u are part of diz country problm ... only u allow to import rice

Mr president

He will either go .mk.o way or trump way.

raphieMontella:
dangote....okay o..
I see him running for president in the future...
Who sees this too?

Dangote should just become our Next president

ayourbamie:
You can only try. Naija is bigger than anyone. I pray he doesn't have motives behind this

Guys like Dangote never do anything for free so ulterior motive is certain because he's a business man

His personal interest comes first before anything else

Ariwo ko ni music ooo

peterovanski:
Has dangote joined MMM? Since he is pledging help for FG .and you can't get help without registering and providing help first . Is someone thinking what I'm thinking?

How can Dangote join MMM?

Dangote cannot solve nigeria's problems..