Dangote Group Pavilion Draws Crowds at 2024 Abuja International Trade Fair
By Patience Ikpeme
Participants at the ongoing 2024 Abuja International Trade Fair (AITF) have been flocking to the pavilion of the Dangote Group, one of Nigeria’s leading industrial conglomerates, to inquire about its wide-ranging business ventures, including the recently operational state-of-the-art Dangote Oil Refinery.
The refinery, which has begun discharging petroleum products, is a key highlight at the Fair, drawing considerable attention from entrepreneurs and stakeholders alike.
The 19th edition of the AITF, organized by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has seen Dangote Group emerge as one of the major sponsors, underscoring its commitment to Nigerian industrialization and economic growth. Beyond its oil refinery, the company’s other business units—Dangote Fertilizer, Dangote Sugar, NASCON (Dangote Salt), and Dangote Cement—have also attracted significant interest from fairgoers.
Among the many attendees at the Dangote Group’s pavilion was Peter Ibrahim, a block moulder, who expressed his curiosity about potential job and business opportunities at the Dangote Refinery. Speaking to reporters, he said, “I am here at the Dangote booth to find out what business and job opportunities are available at the Dangote Refinery. We know the company must have created several opportunities.”
Similarly, Sale Sagir, a cement dealer, highlighted Dangote Group’s central role in his decision to attend the trade fair. “Let me be honest. I came to this Trade Fair because of Dangote Group. I sell cement, but now I have come to find out what it takes to be a distributor of other products, especially Dangote Petroleum products,” Sagir explained.
This year’s fair, themed “Mobility Options for Transportation, Trade Financing, and Taxation,” has showcased Dangote’s leading role in various sectors, positioning the company as a major contributor to Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
At the Dangote Group’s Special Day, Fatima Wali-Abdurrahman, Senior Adviser to the Group President on Special Projects and Strategic Relations, took the opportunity to underscore the company’s enduring contributions to Nigeria’s economy, particularly in areas such as transportation, trade financing, and taxation.
“During the construction of the Dangote Refinery, we had to build a jetty in the Lekki Free Zone to handle our bulk cargoes, including one of the two largest cranes in the world, that we imported during the construction stage,” she noted. “Today, we are exporting our products to a number of African countries through the same port. We also plan to ease the pressure on the roads from the refinery by transporting finished petroleum products by sea along the Nigerian coast for further distribution to the hinterland.”
Wali-Abdurrahman further highlighted the company’s commitment to sustainable energy through its investments in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). “In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint and also reduce costs, over the past decade, we have converted about a third of our fleet to CNG. This is an ongoing process, till we convert the entire fleet,” she added.
She also revealed the company’s growing investments in the agricultural subsector, assuring participants that Dangote’s agricultural products would soon be available in the market.
Earlier, the President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief Emeka Obegolu, praised the Dangote Group for its unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s industrial development. Represented by Aisha Ado Abdullahi, ACCI Vice President Legal, Chief Obegolu described Dangote as “the engine-room for Nigeria’s industrialization.”
He lauded the company for its contribution to national revenue through taxes, noting that the Group’s financial contributions have played a pivotal role in funding critical infrastructure projects and social programs that benefit millions of Nigerians. “The taxes paid by the Group have contributed significantly to national revenue, funding infrastructure projects, and social programs that benefit millions of Nigerians,” Obegolu remarked.
The 2024 Abuja International Trade Fair has demonstrated Dangote Group’s central role in Nigeria’s industrialization, with its diverse business units capturing the attention of participants from various sectors. The company’s continued investments in oil refining, transportation, sustainable energy, and agriculture position it as a vital player in Nigeria’s economic growth and development. With Dangote’s presence at this year’s fair, it is evident that the conglomerate remains a symbol of resilience and innovation, fostering job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities for Nigerians across the country.
