Business
IWD: ‘Women Play Crucial Roles in Dangote Group’s Success Story’- Fatima Aliko Dangote
The place of women in the success story of the Dangote Group has been highly commended.
According to Executive Director, Commercial, NASCON Allied Industries, Fatima Aliko Dangote, this is even as the Dangote Group invested in innovative technologies and processes to achieve gender equality and empowerment of all women in the organisation.
She disclosed that women are playing pivotal roles in the success story of the Dangote Group.
For example, to drive transformative change, she said the company is implementing the policy of continuous improvement in its production processes with state-of-the-art production facilities, which are already being managed by women.
At the International Women’s Day (IWD) Conference in Lagos and Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, Fatima noted that the company, through its Learning Management System (LMS), offers employees a variety of resources and opportunities that help them advance their professional and personal development.
According to her, these learning and development offerings cover vast focus areas and are provided via on-the-job, classroom, and online learning platforms, to both permanent and temporary employees across all cadres, in the Group’s Nigerian and Pan-African operations.
In her words, “At the plants, we have the Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) for online analysis, robotic laboratory, and fully automated central control room system equipped with Human Machine Interface technology (HMI) and innovative solutions to drive resource efficiency, process optimisation and mitigate the environmental footprints of our products while delivering quality products that meet the needs of our esteemed customers.”
Fatima explained that Dangote Women’s Network through this year’s theme has provided a unique opportunity to holistically examine the theme of innovation and technology from a gender perspective.
“We are inspired by our superheroes in STEM, and we hope this session increases your awareness of innovation, technology, and digital education, driven by women for women, and learn advancements in digital technology that address how we rethink our daily lives and achieve our personal and professional goals.
“I would like to encourage our women with a few tips on leveraging technology, equipping yourselves academically and technically, be inspired and inspire others by creating opportunities for regular interactions with female STEM champions and leaders and tapping into opportunities for hands-on experience in the form of volunteering”, she added.
In the same vein, Co-Founder/COO Piggy/Vest NG, Odunayo Eweniyi said technology plays a key role and can support women in their daily responsibilities either as a mother or as a worker.
She said it’s never too early to introduce girls to technology and that supporting their passion early can lead to meaningful careers in the future.
She urged the Dangote Cement Group not to relent in its Gender Balance Policy, especially as it relates to encouraging qualified women in the business of cement production.
On her part, Chief Enterprises Business Officer, MTN Nigeria, Lynda Saint said women’s condition can be improved through innovative technology.
She encouraged parents to expose their female children to science and technology as the world has embraced technology and innovation in every aspect of the organisation.
Giving a vote of thanks at the end of the conference, Group Chief Human Resources Officer at Dangote Industries Limited, Nglan Niat commended the speakers for sharing their valuable thoughts and insights with the Dangote team.
“Today marks International Women’s Day 2023, a day set aside to take stock and reflect on how far we have come in tackling gender disparity and also to recognise how much we must go to achieve equality and equity in our workplace.
“Having female representation at all levels of the company is essential as it contributes to a good working environment and better quality of work. That is what we are striving to achieve. The technology industry has been male-dominated, so we need to work harder to ensure that women are properly supported,” she added.
Chairperson, the Dangote Women Network at the DCP Obajana, Fatima Kabir Ikunaiye said the Network began operation in 2017, and since then it has carried out several interventional programmes in the cause of women.
Some of the programmes, Ikunaiye said included, support for orphanages and vulnerable homes, sensitisation and empowerment of women as well as training them on skill acquisition.
. . . Tinubu Lauds NNPC Ltd, Partners Over Three Commissioned Gas Projects
In line with its renewed hope agenda, the Federal Government has reiterated determination to utilize Nigeria’s abundant gas resources towards revamping her industrial growth and kick-starting economic prosperity.
Biztellers reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made the assertion while commissioning three critical gas infrastructure projects executed by the NNPC Limited and its partners in Ohaji-Egbema, in Imo State and Kwale, in Delta States, on Wednesday.
The three projects commissioned include the expansion of the AHL Gas Processing Plant, the ANOH Gas Processing Plant and the 23.3km ANOH to Obiafu-Obrikom-Oben (OB3) Custody Transfer Metering Station Gas Pipeline Projects.
He said, “It is pleasing that approximately, 500MMscf of gas in aggregate would be supplied to the domestic market from these two Gas Processing Plants, which represents over 25% incremental growth in gas supply.
“In practical terms, this translates into more gas to the Power Sector, Gas-Based Industries, and other critical segments of the economy.”
The President pointed out that from the onset, his administration was clear of its intention to leverage on the virtually unlimited capacity of gas to deepen domestic gas utilization, increase national power generation capacity, revitalize industries, and create multiple job opportunities for economic growth.
He said aside the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative which is aimed at moving Nigerians away from petrol and diesel as vehicular combustion fuel, significant progress has also been recorded in incentivizing gas development through Presidential Executive Orders.
While congratulating the projects partners (NNPC Limited, Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) and Seplat Energy for the successful implementation of the three projects, Tinubu particularly charged the NNPC Limited to, as the national energy company of choice, sustain its relentless efforts and record more successes in the energy sector for the benefit of all Nigerians.
President Tinubu described the commissioning as a highly significant milestone for Nigeria as it demonstrates his administration’s efforts to accelerate the development of critical gas infrastructure geared at enhancing the supply of energy to boost industrial growth and create employment opportunities.
He said the projects were fully in line with the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas initiative, and his administration’s quest to grow value from the Nation’s abundant gas assets while concurrently eliminating gas flaring and accelerating industrialization.
“I wish to assure the citizenry that these are just the beginning, as the federal government is stepping up its coordination of other landmark projects and initiatives that will ensure the earliest realization of gas fueled prosperity in our country.
“Consequently, I wish to assure investors in the energy space that this is an investment enabling government and we will not relent in facilitating the ease of doing business,” the President noted.
Earlier in his address, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo highlighted the efforts of his ministry to continue to champion the utilisation of gas as a transition fuel as Nigeria moves towards achieving clean energy efficiency and security by 2060.
Ekpo commended the President for his leadership and support towards the success of the three projects.
In his remarks, the GCEO NNPC, Mele Kyari described the commissioning as a demonstration of Mr. President’s commitment and support to grow the domestic utilization of natural gas for power generation, as feedstock for gas-based industries and overall rapid industrialization of Nigeria on the back of the enormous gas resources in the country.
Kyari assured that as part of its mandate, NNPC Ltd remains committed to maintaining energy security by executing more strategic gas projects for the benefit of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Government has listed her April 2024 Savings Bonds worth N4.214 billion on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) platform.
This was disclosed in the market bulletin signed by the Head, Issuers Regulation Department of NGX, Godstime Iwenekhai.
According to the bulletin, “Trading License Holders are hereby notified that the April 2024 Issue of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Savings Bonds was listed on Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) on May 13, 2024.”
Details of the Bonds include FGS April 2026, 1.228 million units valued at N1.228 billion at a coupon rate of 17.046%, while FGS April 2027, 2.986 million units amounted to N2.986 billion at a coupon rate of 18.046%.
The bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the FGN and charged upon the general assets of Nigeria, according to the debt office.
FGN Savings Bond is issued monthly in tenors of two and three years with quarterly payment of coupons (interest) at a rate predetermined and published by the DMO every month.
The retail savings bond product was introduced by the DMO on behalf of the FGN in 2017 to democratise its activities in the bond market by making it easily accessible to Nigerians to ensure continuous development of the domestic market and bridge infrastructure deficit which has been a constraint to economic growth.
Nigeria’s inflation rate surged to 33.69% in April 2024, up from 33.20% in March, according to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, released Wednesday, shows a 0.49 percentage point rise within a month.
Year-on-year, the inflation rate has surged by 11.47 percentage points, compared to 22.22% in April 2023, highlighting the ongoing economic challenges and rising costs for consumers.
The report reads “In April 2024, the headline inflation rate increased to 33.69% relative to the March 2024 head line inflation rate which was 33.20%.
“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 11.47% points higher compared to the rate recorded in April 2023, which was 22.22%.
This shows that the headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) increased in the month of April 2024 when compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., April 2023).
“Furthermore, on a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate in April 2024 was 2.29%, which was 0.73% lower than the rate recorded in March 2024 (3.02%).
“This means that in the month of April 2024, the rate of increase in the average price level is less than the rate of in crease in the average price level in March 2024.”
Prices of food and basic commodities have surged dramatically in recent weeks, as Nigerians grapple with a soaring cost of living and one of the nation’s most severe economic crises.
The crisis has been intensified by the government’s removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of forex windows.
The naira, which had appreciated against the dollar in April, has since plummeted from about N1,100/$1 to roughly N1,500/$1.
Following the latest inflation report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is anticipated to review the country’s interest rate, currently set at 24.75%.
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