Africa’s richest industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said his investments in electricity generation will help address Nigeria’s power challenges and attract more investors into the country.

Dangote stated this during an interactive session with members of the Northern creative industries and selected journalists at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos.

The billionaire businessman identified inconsistent government policies and inadequate electricity supply as some of the major obstacles discouraging investors from bringing their capital into Africa.

He said the lack of reliable electricity had continued to undermine industrial development and economic growth, stressing that investors would be more willing to establish businesses in Nigeria and other African countries if the necessary infrastructure was available.

Dangote said his investments in power generation were aimed at addressing some of these challenges and creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

“People are not coming to invest in Africa due to inconsistencies in government policies and lack of electricity. Now we are generating electricity, and that will make them generate,” he said.

He further disclosed that his group was committing about $70 billion towards investments aimed at making business and economic development more feasible across Africa.

According to him, the investments are part of efforts to strengthen the continent’s productive capacity, improve infrastructure and encourage more private-sector participation in economic development.

On the relationship between the media and his business empire, Dangote said he had no intention of investing in media organisations, insisting that journalists must remain committed to reporting the truth.

He said although he valued the media and maintained cordial relationships with journalists, he would prefer an independent media environment where reporters could freely discharge their professional responsibilities.

“I will not invest in media. You have to tell the truth, and I don’t want to offend anybody, but we will continue to be friends of the media,” Dangote said.

The industrialist also disclosed plans to deepen investments in agriculture, revealing that his group was signing an agreement with the Niger State Government on farming activities.

He said the arrangement would involve the establishment of a rice mill to support large-scale rice production, with about one million hectares of land expected to be cultivated under the initiative.

The proposed agricultural investment, he explained, is expected to strengthen local food production, support farmers and contribute to Nigeria’s food security objectives.

Dangote also announced plans to commission an ultra-modern theatre at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in January, as part of efforts to support healthcare infrastructure.

He said the facility would provide improved medical services and contribute to strengthening the country’s healthcare delivery system.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised the alarm over the closure of Arewa House, which was set to host a meeting of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, with Northern stakeholders.

In a statement on Wednesday, Phrank Shaibu, spokesperson for the ADC presidential campaign council, said, “My campaign team had proposed Arewa House as the venue for our consultation with stakeholders on Thursday and, today, the APC government decided to seal the building.”

But the ADC said, “We will not be intimidated,” condemning the sealing off.

The statement described the move as “a troubling pattern”.

“During our campaign flag-off in Sokoto, the APC government also tried to frustrate us. The people stood firm, and their will prevailed. Now, as Atiku prepares to consult stakeholders at Arewa House, the venue has been sealed”.

“We hold President Bola Tinubu and the APC politically responsible for this pattern of obstruction. An outgoing president and a ruling party should respect democratic competition, not use public authority to impede the opposition, restrict political consultation or weaken Nigerians’ right to choose,” the statement said.

The National President, National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN), Alhaji Fatai Ogunwale, has expressed the support of the association for the Federal Government’s Proposed licencing and regulations of Scrap business.

A statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) by its National President, Alhaji Fatai Ogunwale, on Tuesday, stated that the move was also to curb theft and vandalism in the country.Read Daily News

In a Two-Day stakeholders meeting in Lagos, the Federal Government under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Steel Development, had moved to regulate Scrap industry business and operation in Nigeria.

The theme of the event is “Validation of the proposed Scrap metal Collection, Trading, Recycling and Regulations 2026”.

According to the President of the association, the move was targeted at those who engaged themselves in illegally stealing of metals and vandalism of critical infrastructure including electricity cables, railways components and manhole covers amongst others.

He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for the initiative and warned against double taxation scrap metal dealers carrying scraps to end users or rolling mills across the country.

Ogunwale also called on the Federal Government to eradicate touts on our expressways who harrass NASWDEN members ,extort them while going about thier legitimate scrap business.

The President also informed stakeholders that NASWDEN had earlier launched anti Vandalism and currently working with security agencies to protect critical national infrastructure and the nation’s assets.

According to him, the move also involved the issuing of loading inspection confirmation clearance papers to members to check theft and vandalism by criminals parading themselves as scrap dealers.

In his remarks, the Minister of Steel Development, Shuiabu Audu, stated that the framework would establish an organised transparent scrap metal value chain in the country.

The Minister was represented by the Director of Metallurgical Raw Metal Development and Investment Promotion in the ministry, Mr Ime Eprikpo.

“The proposed Scrap metal collection, trading, recycling and regulations 2026, are also expected to improve the supply of the locally sourced raw materials to steal manufacturing companies.

As well as to formalise the activities of scrap dealers and strengthen environment and occupational safety standards, ”he added

I’m his remarks, the Deputy National President of NASWDEN, Comrade Aminu Hassan Soja called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency, tackle the issue of alleged attacks on its members by one Uche Ogbu Luke.

According to Soja, Luke is an impostor who allegedly uses armed thugs to intimidate and extort scrap dealers along highways across the South-East and South-South regions of the country.

” We call on the federal government tomurgently intervene and put an end to the activities of one Uche Ogbu Luke, whom he describes as an impostor allegedly using armed thugs to intimidate and extort scrap dealers along highways across the South-East and South-South regions of the country,” he alleged.

He urged the relevant security agencies to “investigate the allegations, apprehend those involved and protect innocent scrap dealers from harassment, intimidation and unlawful extortion”.