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BY ABU-SATAR HAMED
IBESE-YEWA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA – As part of its sustained commitment to giving back to its host communities, Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant, on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, deepened community engagement through the empowerment of youths, women and students across its host communities.
The company announced a N15.72 million education scholarship scheme and unveiled its social investment scorecard, highlighting 13 completed projects and 10 ongoing initiatives. These interventions were formally presented at the 4th edition of the Annual Host Community Day held at the Playing Ground, Dangote Cement Estate, Ibese, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.
In his welcome address, the Plant Director, Mr. Ayyagari Subbaraidu, described the Annual Host Community Day as a reflection of the company’s “deliberate and continuous effort to broaden stakeholder engagement and deepen community participation.”
Subbaraidu, who was represented by the Chief General Manager, Maintenance, Mr. Hemant Dave, noted that the programme has evolved into a strategic platform for reviewing the company’s social footprint.
“This occasion reflects our deliberate and continuous effort to broaden stakeholder engagement and deepen community participation,” he said.
“Community Day has become a strategic feature that provides a platform to reflect on our social stewardship in the year with a comprehensive account of our corporate social investments.”
He added that the Dangote Way goes beyond the production of quality cement to embracing care, inclusion and partnership with host communities.
“This event also presents us the opportunity to bond together, enjoy the richness of our culture, while appreciating our partners and collaborators whose contributions have been invaluable to our progress,” he stated.
Subbaraidu further expressed appreciation to the Ogun State Government, customers, vendors and other stakeholders for their continued support and cooperation with Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, since its establishment.
Presenting the 2025 Social Investment Scorecard, the Head of Social Performance, Ibese Plant, Mr. Ademola Ojolowo, explained that the projects and programmes executed during the year aligned with the company’s thematic focus areas of education, health, infrastructure and empowerment.
Ojolowo said emphasis was placed on promoting local vendor participation in line with the company’s procurement policy, as well as supporting the establishment of Project Governance Committees within communities to ensure proper utilisation, maintenance and sustainability of projects.
He disclosed that a total of 27 projects were planned for the year, comprising 15 civil works, four electrical projects, six empowerment programmes and one procurement of medical centre items.
According to him, Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, completed 13 developmental projects in 2025, while 10 others were ongoing and expected to be delivered before the end of the year.
He noted that the projects spanned skill acquisition and empowerment programmes, women empowerment schemes, farmer support initiatives, health sensitisation programmes, construction of public infrastructure and installation of solar inverter systems.
“As a responsible corporate organisation in mining and manufacturing, we commit under the Community Development Agreement to complement government developmental efforts through the delivery of social and economic benefits to our community stakeholders,” Ojolowo said.
“We remain committed to enhancing project efficiency, ensuring sustainability and fostering strong partnerships with communities and government stakeholders as we enter the next phase of our community development efforts.”
He added that project spillovers were not failures, noting that the company plans to execute three projects in five years in each host community.
As part of its education support initiatives, Dangote Cement announced scholarship awards totalling N15,720,000 for 120 students drawn from its 17 host communities. The beneficiaries included 100 undergraduates and 20 pupils from primary and secondary schools.
In addition, 25 youths received laptops under the company’s digital training and ICT empowerment programme, while 60 women were empowered with corn milling machines to enhance their economic activities.
He added that Dangote Cement would continue to prioritise sustainability, project efficiency and strong partnerships as it enters the next phase of its community development agenda.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, commended the management of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, for what he described as steady support and commitment to community development in Ibese and its environs.
However, he urged the company to do more to improve the living environment of its host communities and raised safety concerns, particularly the indiscriminate parking of trucks on major roads.
“I appreciate Dangote Cement for its community social responsibilities, but there is a need to address issues such as indiscriminate parking by some of the company’s truck drivers on major roads in the area.
“This should be tackled swiftly to prevent accidents and ease movement”, he said.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Community Development, Hon. Ademola Balogun, the Chairman of Yewa North Local Government, Dr. Olusola Akinbode, and the Aboro of Ibeseland, Oba Rotimi Mulero, urged beneficiaries of the empowerment programmes to make judicious use of the opportunities for economic upliftment.
They also urged the company to sustain and expand its investments in infrastructure across the host communities.
Oba Mulero thanked Dangote Cement for creating employment opportunities for indigenes, but appealed for better placement of qualified community members in roles that align with their qualifications.
“We appreciate Dangote Cement for creating jobs for our people. However, we urge the management to place deserving members of the host community in more suitable job descriptions in line with their qualifications”, the monarch said.
Speaking on behalf of the women beneficiaries, the Women Leader of Ijako-Orile in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Princess Sherifat Akintunde, expressed gratitude to the company for empowering women with milling machines.
“Before now, women in this area struggled to grind their farm produce to make ends meet. This empowerment will go a long way in improving our livelihoods”, she said.
While commending Dangote Cement for its massive development efforts, Princess Akintunde noted that the Dangote Cement Ibese Plant has brought improved living standards to Ibese-Yewa and its neighbouring communities.
Government officials, traditional rulers and community leaders present at the event commended Dangote Cement for its consistent investment in healthcare, infrastructure and human capital development.
The event’s highlights included the presentation of laptops and other gadgets to beneficiaries of the Dangote ICT empowerment programme, alongside cultural displays and interactive sessions between the company and community stakeholders.
Other dignitaries present at the event included the Commissioner for Community Development, Hon. Ademola Balogun; the Chairman of Yewa North Local Government, Dr. Olusola Akinbode; the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Lukman Kuoye; and the Aboro of Ibeseland, Oba Rotimi Mulero, among others.
