Dangote Group expands investment to agriculture, mining

The Managing Director, Stakeholders and Corporate Manager, Dangote Group, Mansur Ahmed, said the company has expanded its investment into agriculture and mining to assist in diversifying the nation’s economy.
Ahmed, who made this known at a media forum in Kano on Wednesday, said the group reviewed its business plan to accommodate investment in agriculture and mining.
According to him, the group plans to expand its investment and commits a greater investment into agriculture and mining to diversify economy.
The reason, the group head pointed out, was to diversify into other areas that were fundamental to consumers and other stakeholders.
Ahmed said that the company planned to expand its sugar refinery to other states.
He revealed that it had already started acquiring land for the purpose of the expansion in some states.
Ahmed said: “We are actually working towards providing enough sugar and wishing to eliminate the importation of sugar by the next five years.”
The group head disclosed that rice and milk production had already began in Jigawa State, although it was not done directly by the company yet.
He said that the company had worked with 800 farmers in Hadejia, Jigawa State and had planned to increase the number to about 2,000 farmers to begin commercial farming.
According to him, other areas that the company wishes to diversify, is the oil and gas sector.
He said: “The company is aiming at building the largest refinery in Africa to refine about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
“The group would also venture into fertiliser production, petrochemicals as well as provision of gas pipeline and alternative energy supply.”
The Dangote Group has identified the need to diversify its investment to assist the country out of economic recession.