Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, has invested huge resources in many sectors of the Nigerian economy. Yet his apettite for investment is increasing, this time around he is about to invest $1billion in rice cultivation in five states to boost self-sufficiency in food in the country.
A statement by the group indicates that Tunde Mabogunje, a director of the Dangote Group, stated, at the just concluded 2017 Gateway Trade Fair, which held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, that the Dangote Group, which has been contributing its quota to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy, towards aiding agriculture, is now building a fertilizer plant in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos State.
“When completed, farmers will have regular access to fertilizer for their farming activities. The delays and disruptions experienced in waiting for imported fertilizer will cease. We are investing about $1bn in rice cultivation. We have an out-growers scheme where thousands of farmers are empowered with improved seeds and items needed to cultivate rice,” Mabogunje said.
He added that Dangote Group was in the forefront of job creation and was the largest employer of labour outside the Federal Government, and had been contributing its quota to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy for more than three decades.
According to him, the partnership with the Ogun Council of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, organisers of the fair, was beneficial as Ogun State was the host of the 12 million tonnes per annum Dangote Cement Plant, Ibese, the second largest cement plant in Nigeria.
To mark its day at the fair, a subsidiary of the group, Dangote Cement, gave out several tools and implements to block moulders in Ogun State in appreciation of their patronage.
Tools such as wheel barrows, shovels, umbrellas and hand gloves were donated to the block moulders, who assembled from different areas of the state.
Adesola Adebutu, president of Ogun State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, commended the Dangote Group for its sponsorship and participation at the fair. She said the support given by the group went a long way in making the staging of the fair a success.