Dangote Cement Plc yesterday won the African Business of the Year at the 2015 African Business Awards held at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The awards was organised by African Business magazine.
Headed by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian cement behemoth plans to expand production in several countries in anticipation of an infrastructure and construction boom. Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Group is ranked by Forbes magazine as the richest person in Africa.
The judging panel applauded Dangote Cement for its continued drive to develop new tailored products, gain market share and expand its activities throughout the continent.
The organisers of the awards recognised Dangote’s sustained growth profile in Nigeria, its presence in sub-regional markets in Africa which has become a driving force for Dangote Cement Plc after it commenced operations in its new plant in Pout, Senegal; Doula, Cameroon; South Africa and Ethiopia.
Dangote Cement has embarked on Pan-Africa operations with an investment of more than $4 billion. Its expansion projects include new integrated cement plants in Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Republic of Congo and Kenya, as well as import or grinding facilities in Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
The cement manufacturer aims to become Africa’s leading cement company, operating in key locations close to growth markets. In doing so, it will create jobs and prosperity for local people in all the countries in which it operates. Dangote Cement’s quest for self-sufficiency in quality cement in Africa is on course as indicated in its stakes in cement manufacturing plants.
Dangote plans to triple its cement output to 61m tonnes a year by the end of 2017 when almost half of its cement bags will roll off production lines outside Nigeria. The awards also commended leading businesses including Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Abellon Clean Energy, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the leading provider of mobile-delivered micro-insurance in emerging markets, BIMA.
GTBank beat four nominees in their category to win the award for Good Corporate Governance while Abellon Clean Energy outdid four contenders to claim the award for Innovation.
