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Dangote Cement Making Measurable Impacts In Benue Host Communities — FG

Published

3 months ago

January 7, 2026

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has said that Dangote Cement Plc is making measurable impacts in its Gboko Host Communities of Benue State.

At the commissioning of Dangote Cement’s multi-million-naira water projects, scholarship awards and youth skill acquisition programme, the minister commended the company for its impactful contributions to host communities.

He also commended the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) for partnering and supervising the training of youth during the skill acquisition programme.

Represented by an Assistant Director of Mines and Environmental Compliance, Benue State, Mrs. Adijatu Usman, the minister said Dangote Cement is meeting its obligations under the Community Development Agreement (CDA).

He said the CDA ensures that mining companies plough back part of their profits into their host communities.

He said: “I can tell you that the Dangote Cement has delivered several projects for its host communities.

“The project was a fall out of a Federal Government policy, for companies such as Dangote to give back to its host communities.

“It is a Federal Government policy for mining companies to reinvest part of their profits into host mining communities so as to impact the communities, and as a result of that policy we have had series of engagements with them.

“There are six of these communities here. We sat with them several times and these projects are certified community-based projects because the community agreed that they needed these projects. And we are here today because the projects have been completed.

“What we expect is for the communities to see these projects as their personal projects; own them, and protect them, so that they will be sustainable. That way there will be economic development within the communities.

“We share in their joy as we present these projects to them, and we think that mining will be sustainable.”

Speaking at the commissioning and handover ceremony of the projects to the communities, Head of Social Performance at Dangote Cement Plant in Gboko, Dr. Johnson Kor, stated that the projects were delivered to communities that have challenge in access to good water supply.

Dr. Kor said: “We are here today to commission CDA projects that were earmarked for these host communities since last year December 2024. We have done many of them and these are the ones that have been completed, and they are water projects among them motorized and solar powered boreholes.

“Community Development Agreement was entered in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the host communities, the stakeholders and the Plant.

“It is a five-year agreement, and this is the first year and by next year we will be going into the second round and as you can see, we are also working on some electricity projects which are yet to be completed.

“These are areas where they hardly get water, despite having hand dug wells, they are perennially in need of water and some of them are using water from the streams or river because of their proximity to River Benue.

“Therefore, we felt there was need to provide water for them, and they are happy with this kind of gesture exhibited by the Dangote Cement Plc.

“The boreholes are located in Pass Brother, Mbaakpoghol-Mbatyu; Mbaswa-Mbatser and Agboghol-Amua communities.”

District Head of Mbaakpoghol-Mbatyu, Chief Kunav Anum, observed that as a community, his people were very happy to have one of the boreholes located in the community.

He said: “We are very excited. We didn’t know that this would happen so soon in this community. It came as a surprise, so we are grateful to Dangote Cement Plc for the gesture.”

The monarch said the community had accessed electricity earlier through Dangote Cement, even as he pledged that the community would continue to support the company.

A statement from the company had said: “In further demonstration of this commitment, the scholarship fund has this year been reviewed upward to ₦28,800,000.00, and its scope expanded to cover all six host communities, strictly in line with the provisions of the Community Development Agreement (CDA). This deliberate expansion reflects our desire to ensure equity, inclusiveness, and shared benefits across all our immediate communities.

“The company has executed several projects, with others still ongoing, including the Women Empowerment Programme, the Farmers Empowerment Programme and the Youth Empowerment Programme, all aimed at improving livelihoods in the host communities.”

Related Topics:Dangote Marketing Nigeria

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Just In:President Tinubu Sacks Minister Of Finance

Published

1 hour ago

April 21, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a minor cabinet reshuffle in the membership of the Federal Executive Council.

According to a memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, two cabinet members, Mr. Wale Edun and Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa are to leave the cabinet while their replacements have been named.

Edun, until the latest development, was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy. He has been directed to hand over to Mr. Taiwo Oyedele who is now to take over as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. Oyedele was formerly a Minister of State in the ministry.

Also Mr. Muttaqha Rabe Darma (PhD .) has been named as the ministerial nominee and minister designate for the Housing and Urban Development Ministry.

The memo also directed Dangiwa to hand over to the Minister of State in the ministry.

The memo stated that “all handing over and taking over processes should be completed on or before close of business on Thursday 23rd April, 2026.”

Explaining the President’s decision, Akume said: “These changes are aimed at strengthening cohesion, synergy in governance as well as achieving more impactful delivery on the economy to Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda.”

He said the President, in approving the cabinet reshuffle, has fully exercised his powers as conferred on him by Sections 147 and 148 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended).

The President thanked the outgoing ministers for their services to the nation while wishing them the best in all their future endeavours.

The President, Akume noted, equally assured all cabinet members that “the process of reinvigoration shall be continuous.”

Signed:

Yomi Odunuga,
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation

21-04-2026

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JUST IN: FG Files 13 Count Charges Against Alleged Coup Plotters

Published

8 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal Government has filed a 13-count charge before the Federal High Court in Abuja against individuals accused of plotting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu. Among those named in the suit are a retired major general, a retired naval captain, a serving police inspector, and three other suspects.

According to security sources, the coup was scheduled to be executed on Nigeria’s Independence Day. However, the plot was uncovered after preparations and plans were leaked, leading to its successful disruption.

The development prompted the Federal Government to cancel the Independence Day programme—a move described as highly unusual by political observers.

News

BIKOBA Mourns EX-NFA Chairman, Ibrahim Galadima

Published

10 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Nigerian Tracker

The leadership, and the entire members of Birnin-Kudu Old Boys Association (BIKOBA) mourn the passing of the former president of the Association, and former Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, who died Saturday, the 18th of April 2026, after a protracted illness.

Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, who died at the age of 78, was the fourth president of BIKOBA, having served two consecutive terms between 1993-1997, and being a member of ’71 class chapter of the Association.

Remarking on the passing of the elderstateman, President of BIKOBA, Alhaji Ja’afar Usman Muhammad (Turakin Gaya), described him as an astute football administrator and one of the most influential figures in Nigerian sports.
He said, after diligently serving BIKOBA as it’s fourth president, late Ibrahim Galadima had also served in various capacities at national and sub-national levels, as one time Commissioner of Information, Kano State while noting that his tenure as Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (2002–2006), was full of success stories, culminating to the growth and develpoment of sporting sub sector in Nigeria.

He similarly served with distinction as the Chairman of the Kano State Sports Commission, where he played a vital role in promoting sports at both grassroots and elite levels, said BIKOBA President.

“Being one of the founding fathers of Kano Pillars FC, late Galadima also laid a solid foundation for the club’s growth into a dominant force in Nigerian football, adding that, his legacy, leadership, and passion for the game will continue to be remembered in the history of the club”

The president, on behalf of the executive committee and entire members of BIKOBA, extends heartfelt condolences to the immediate family of the deceased, his friends, the government, the good people of Kano State, as well as the entire Nigerian football community over the irreparable loss.

In a statement signed by National publicity secretary of the association Malam Mahmud Ibrahim Kwari said BIKOBA also prays that Almighty Allah grants late Ibrahim Galadima Aljannatul Firdaus, Ameen.