There were celebrations on Wednesday as Dangote Cement Plc flagged off three multi-million-naira empowerment programmes for farmers, women and youths in its six host communities in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.

Women sang and danced, farmers applauded and youth groups cheered as the company announced a new round of support aimed at helping beneficiaries expand their businesses, improve agricultural productivity and acquire vocational skills.

The programme will benefit residents of Tse-Kucha, Quarry, Amua, Mbazembe, Mbatur and Pass Brothers communities in Benue State.

Under the scheme, 150 women will receive cash grants to support their businesses, 52 farmers will be provided with agricultural inputs, and 30 young people will undergo skills development training.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, commended the Dangote Group for the new feat, and sustained investments in the development of its host communities.

Represented at the event by Mrs. Usman Adijatu, the minister said the Federal Government is proud of the significant social and economic contributions of Dangote Cement Plc in Benue State and across Nigeria.

He noted that the company’s community-focused interventions complement the government’s efforts to promote inclusive growth, reduce poverty and create sustainable livelihoods in mining and industrial host communities.
Dr. Alake urged the beneficiaries to make prudent and productive use of the agricultural inputs, cash grants and vocational training opportunities provided by Dangote Cement, stressing that the support should serve as a springboard for long-term economic empowerment and self-reliance.

Also speaking, the Head of Social Performance, Pan-African Operations, at Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Wakeel Olayiwola, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to implementing Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, developed jointly by the company, government and host communities under the Community Development Agreement(CDA)framework.

He described the six host communities as peaceful and supportive, and urged them to sustain the harmonious relationship that has enabled the successful implementation of numerous development programmes.

Mr. Olayiwola also commended members of the CDA Consultative Committee for conducting a transparent and credible beneficiary selection process, noting that their diligence had helped ensure that the interventions reached deserving members of the communities.

The Plant Director of Dangote Cement, Gboko Plant, Engr. Abhijit Dutta, said the initiative is part of the company’s efforts to improve livelihoods in communities where it operates.

He said the company sees its host communities as partners and believes business growth should go hand in hand with community development.

“Our host communities are not just neighbours; they are valued partners in progress,” he said.

Mr. Dutta said the programme is part of a five-year Community Development Agreement (CDA) that began in 2025 and is intended to ensure that all six communities benefit from the company’s social investment programmes.

He said the interventions were designed to promote self-reliance, reduce poverty and create sustainable economic opportunities.

According to him, the company will also launch a scholarship scheme for students from the host communities in the coming months.

Mr. Dutta said the President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, is committed to improving the welfare of communities hosting the Group’s operations.

He noted that more than 230 people benefitted from similar programmes last year and said the company plans to continue the initiative throughout the duration of the current CDA.

Mr. Dutta also said several projects under the agreement are already in progress and that all outstanding projects are expected to be completed this year.

He urged beneficiaries to use the support responsibly, especially the women receiving cash grants, and to invest the funds in their businesses.

The company thanked community leaders, traditional rulers and youth groups for maintaining peaceful relations with the plant, saying continued cooperation would help sustain development and shared prosperity in the area.

The Head of Social Performance at Dangote Cement Plc, Dr. Johnson Kor, said the company operates a broad range of community development and empowerment initiatives designed to enhance the socio-economic wellbeing of its host communities.

Also speaking at the event, the paramount ruler of the Gboko communities, the Ter Gboko, HRH Gabriel Shosum, praised Dangote Cement for its sustained commitment to the welfare and development of his people, describing the company’s interventions as both impactful and commendable.

He assured the company of the continued goodwill and cooperation of the host communities, noting that they would remain strong ambassadors of Dangote Cement.

The royal father also urged community members to maintain peace and continue supporting the company so that they can derive even greater benefits from its social investment initiatives.

The company had said earlier that the selected youths will be trained by the Industrial Training Fund(ITF).

The Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS) has commissioned a new Compliance and Enforcement office to provide staff with a conducive working environment and boost internally generated revenue (IGR) in the state.

The office was inaugurated at the African Alliance Building in Sabongari, Fagge Local Government Area.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, KIRS Executive Chairman, Dr. Zaid Abubakar, said the new office was established to enable staff in the Compliance and Enforcement Department to carry out their duties more effectively.

In the past, our staff worked under challenging conditions despite their heavy workload. The department previously operated from makeshift offices made up of containers and lacked the necessary equipment to perform optimally.

“Today, we have provided a modern office with state-of-the-art tools, computers, and a reliable internet network to support their work,” he explained.

Abubakar explained that the department has over 60 staff across various units, including Tax Audit, Debt Management, Tax Investigation, Enforcement, and Risk Profiling

He disclosed that the service had initially set a N35 billion revenue target for the Compliance and Enforcement Department for the year but now expects the office to generate up to N68 billion due to the working environment.

The KIRS boss also commended Governor Abba Yusuf for supporting the agency, noting that the governor is working towards enhancing the salary structure for KIRS staff outside the mainstream civil service.

Earlier, Elon Marcus, Director of Advisory and Tax Compliance at Manam Professional Services, a technical partner of KIRS, expressed optimism that the new office would help staff achieve their revenue targets.

“The idea behind setting up this office is to improve staff working conditions, with the expectation that they will put in more effort to meet the revenue targets set by the service,” he said.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Defence Academy has announced that its Screening Test for the 78 Regular Course will hold on Saturday, 13 June 2026 across all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

In a statement issued on its X handle on Tuesday and signed by the Academy Registrar, the institution said the exercise is open only to candidates who scored 180 and above in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in April 2026, and who selected the NDA as their first-choice institution.

According to the NDA, eligible candidates will receive an email on 20 May 2026 directing them to select their preferred state for the screening test.

The academy noted that this step is necessary for the allocation of examination centres nationwide.

The statement added that candidates must complete their selection of preferred test location no later than 24 May 2026.

The NDA advised applicants to choose their state of residence as their examination location, emphasising that the screening exercise will be conducted simultaneously across the country.

It further stated that candidates will later be informed of their assigned centres in the first week of June 2026.

“The selection of location (State) of choice for the test is to be done latest by 24 May 2026,” the statement read.

It also assured candidates of timely communication and further instructions via email, stressing that the Academy remains committed to fairness and equal opportunity for all qualified applicants nationwide.