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.
With Aviation Kerosene (Jet A1) price persistently skyrocketing of late, Nigerian airlines have been forced to prune down their operations.
The airlines claim that the continuous spike in fuel price has pushed operating expenses to unsustainable levels, forcing tough decisions on route frequency and scheduling.
The latest to announce a reduction on flights is Ibom Air.
The airline, on Monday, said it may reduce flight operations to sustain services to its customers and the nation as the jet fuel crisis bites harder.
In a statement by the airline’s Group Manager, Marketing and Communication, Aniekan Essienette, Ibom Air described the worsening fuel price situation as an unprecedented crisis for Nigeria’s domestic operators, revealing that the cost of fueling one of its aircraft has more than tripled between January and today.
ALSO READ: Waltersmith Doubles Refining Capacity to 10,000 Bpd
He said: “From an average of N2.1m per flight in January, as of today, the 26th of April, we are paying approximately N7.6m to fuel every flight. This is a more than 350 per cent increase since the beginning of March, a space of just seven weeks! And our aircraft are some of the most fuel efficient in the domestic market.
“At this point, domestic airlines are baffled at why the price of aviation fuel in Nigeria has ballooned to this level, way above the rest of the world, while the fuel marketers obtain 95 per cent or more of their aviation fuel from Dangote Refinery.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that a combination of competitive pressures and patriotism have prevented a commensurate increase in our fares, meaning that we and our fellow domestic airlines have had to absorb the immense operating losses resulting from this situation.
“We chose to do this believing that the crisis would pass in a week or two, but it has persisted now for nearly two months, continuously increasing, with no reprieve in sight as at today. While we continue to do everything we can to maintain normal operations, it is clear to us that the current conditions are unsustainable,” the airline said.
The airline also called on the fuel marketers to seriously reconsider the pricing of aviation fuel to make the airline business model continue to work in Nigeria.
Recently, Air Peace also announced that it has reduced its Abuja to London flights to three times a week starting from July 1.
The airline said this is due to the current aviation fuel supply which is affecting flight operations nationwide and around the world.
In a statement, it said: “We wish to inform you that our Abuja to London service has been temporarily adjusted to three weekly flights until July 1.
“This measure is necessary to maintain the highest standards of safety and operational reliability during this period, with full operational frequency on our London service scheduled to resume from July 1.
“We recognise that this adjustment may impact your travel plans, and we deeply appreciate your patience and understanding.” In the past few weeks , Nigerian airlines have raised the alarm over the astronomical cost of aviation fuel. Struggling to stay afloat amid a suffocating operating space, they called on the federal government to urgently cushion the heavy losses they suffered following a 300 per cent surge in Jet A1 prices imposed by oil marketers.
The spokesperson of the AON, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo, said in a recent television interview that fuel marketers are to be blamed for what they describe as deliberate price manipulation and artificial scarcity, accusations the marketers have denied.
He added that the spike in the price of Jet A1 fuel cannot be justified and that just a month ago, airline operators were purchasing Jet A1 at below N1,000 per litre, with prices ranging between N950 and N970 but that today, that same litre is being sold at prices ranging from N2,500 to as high as N3,300, an increase of between 150 and 300 percent depending on the location.
One of Nigeria’s domestic refineries, Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, has marked a major milestone in the drive for local energy self-sufficiency, with the successful expansion of its refinery’s capacity to 10,000 barrels per day (bpd).
The achievement was highlighted during an official inspection visit by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to the company’s Phase 2 facility at Ibigwe, Imo State, at the weekend.
The delegation led by NMDPRA’s Authority Chief Executive, Saidu Mohammed, alongside representatives of the NCDMB, assessed the operational readiness of the upgraded facility. The Phase 2 expansion effectively doubles Waltersmith’s refining capacity from 5,000 to 10,000 bpd, positioning the company as a key contributor to Nigeria’s domestic refining ambitions.
“What WalterSmith has accomplished is no small feat. This is a powerful demonstration that Nigerians have both the capability and responsibility to take charge of the midstream sector which is the true engine room of our economy,” NMDPRA’s Mohammed said.
Besides, the NMDPRA highlighted the company’s compliance with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 and praised its operational standards.
Chairman of Waltersmith, Abdulrazaq Isa, emphasised that the expansion reflects both technical discipline and alignment with national energy policy objectives while maintaining strict adherence to regulatory standards, particularly those set by the NMDPRA.
“We are moving Nigeria beyond an extractive oil economy to one focused on value creation. By refining locally, integrating upstream resources, and building an industrial hub, we are laying a sustainable foundation for long-term economic growth,” Isa said.
ALSO READ: Dangote Donates ₦550m Students’ Hostel to FUTO
The upgraded facility introduces an expanded product slate, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK). These additions are expected to improve supply reliability for Nigeria’s transportation and aviation sectors, while reinforcing the broader goal of transitioning from a crude-export-dependent economy to one focused on value addition.
Regulatory approval is nearing completion, Waltersmith said, with the visit serving as a final assessment ahead of the issuance of a Licence to Operate (LTO) for full commercial operations of Phase 2.
Looking forward, Waltersmith said it plans to expand beyond refining through the development of the Waltersmith Industrial and Innovation Park, a Free Trade Zone (FTZ) anchored by gas-to-power infrastructure.
The initiative, it stressed, aims to attract petrochemical and manufacturing companies, supporting Nigeria’s “Decade of Gas” strategy and fostering long-term industrial growth.
“As we enter this next phase, our continued collaboration with the Authority is critical. We are not just building a refinery; we are building a self-sustaining industrial city that contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s energy security and regional economic development,” Isa emphasised.
A defining feature of the Waltersmith project, the organisation said, is its partnership with the NCDMB, which holds a 30 per cent equity stake.
NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Felix Ogbe, represented by the Director of Legal Services, Naboth Onyesoh, said the investment has not only catalysed a scalable refining operation but has also created substantial jobs for Nigerians.
“Our partnership with WalterSmith underscores the power of collaboration in driving local content development. This investment has not only catalysed a scalable refining operation but has also created substantial jobs for Nigerians and strengthened our collective capacity to reduce dependence on imports while improving national living standards,” he stated.
The project, Waltersmith stressed, also has strong financial backing, combining private investment with institutional funding from the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and the Bank of Industry (BoI). This blended financing approach, it explained, highlights the viability of public-private partnerships in advancing large-scale energy infrastructure.
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has announced that the expansion of the Dangote Refinery to a production capacity of 1.4 million barrels per day will generate employment for no fewer than 95,000 skilled workers at peak construction.
Dangote disclosed this at the weekend in Lagos during his induction as an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE), describing the project as a major milestone in Nigeria’s industrial transformation.
According to him, the expansion underscores the Group’s continued commitment to engineering excellence, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
“This award is particularly meaningful because it recognizes what we are doing in the industry, especially our commitment to employing engineers and skilled professionals. At the peak of construction for this expansion, we expect to have about 95,000 skilled workers on site, and we will continue to grow,” Dangote said.
Upon completion, the expanded Dangote Refinery will surpass the Jamnagar Refinery in India to become the largest refinery in the world, significantly strengthening Nigeria’s refining capacity.
ALSO READ: PwC Recommends Nigeria’s Oil Sector to South African Investors
Dangote noted that the project would rely heavily on Nigerian expertise, creating substantial opportunities for engineers, technicians, artisans, and other skilled professionals. He added that the expansion reflects the Group’s long-term vision for industrialization in Nigeria and across Africa.
Beyond employment generation, the refinery expansion is expected to stimulate local manufacturing, enhance technology transfer, and deepen Nigeria’s oil and gas value chain. It will also improve fuel security, reduce dependence on imported petroleum products, and deliver significant foreign exchange savings for the Nigerian economy.
“The scale of this expansion reflects our confidence in Nigerian capacity and our belief that Africa has the ability to build world-class infrastructure that meets global standards,” Dangote stated.
In his remarks, President of the Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Engr. Prof. Rahamon Bello, described the honour as well deserved, noting that Dangote’s impact transcends physical infrastructure.
“What makes this recognition fitting is not only what has been built, but what has been inspired. Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s journey continues to motivate a new generation of engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators to think boldly, act decisively, and believe in the immense possibilities within our continent,” Bello said.
Photo Caption
From Left: GED Oil & Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, Fatima Aliko Dangote; GED Operations, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Mariya Aliko Dangote; President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote; President, The Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Engr. Prof. Rahamon Bello, at The Nigerian Academy of Engineering Induction of Aliko Dangote as Honorary Fellow in Lagos on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Unstable Naira Makes ₦1m Salary Worthless — NLC
Jet A1 Soaring Price Forces Local Airlines to Reduce Operations
Waltersmith Doubles Refining Capacity to 10,000 Bpd
Dangote Donates ₦550m Students’ Hostel to FUTO
Dangote Refinery’s Expansion to 1.4m bpd Creates Jobs for 95,000 Skilled Workers
PwC Recommends Nigeria’s Oil Sector to South African Investors
Trump’s Family Unveils New Cryptocurrency Platform
Senate Denies Receiving Petitions Against Tinubu’s Ambassadorial Nominees
Dangote Cement Lights Up Benue Host Communities With CSR Initiatives
Reps Recommend 3-year Jail Term For Aviation minister
Tems Sets New Record On Billboard Hot 100 Chart
