Business

Dangote Cement trucks wrongfully intercepted in Adamawa

Published

1 year ago

February 19, 2024

…We don’t need to export to Cameroun where we have an existing cement plant

The management of Dangote Cement Plc has stated that two of its trucks that were wrongly intercepted in Adamawa State have been released.

The company stated the two trucks loaded with 900 bags of cement each from the Obajana Cement Plant were on their way to Jamtari, Maiha Local Government, Adamawa State, based on a customer’s request.

However, they were intercepted by security agents who accused them of trying to export banned products to the Republic of Cameroun through the Adamawa routes. The interception, on Friday, February 9, 2024, followed an executive order banning the transportation of food and building materials across the country’s border through Adamawa routes by the Adamawa State Government.

A statement signed by the Group’s Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Mr. Anthony Chiejina, revealed that the company has a functional cement plant in Cameroun and that, the allegation of attempting to export cement there is false and malicious.

Chiejina explained that the two trucks were on their way to deliver products requested by a customer and wondered why the security agents would intercept and accuse them of attempting to divert their load to the Republic of Cameroun.

Mr. Chiejina said: “It was surprising that on their way to deliver the products to the stated address, the security agents on that particular route intercepted them at a village called Wurolabi.”

He said the officers who made the arrest insisted the trucks were on diversion since they apparently did not pay attention to details of what was written on the Waybill. The company said the two drivers tried to explain to the soldiers but to no avail.

He added: Our officials were thereafter invited by the DSS Adamawa State, and we explained to them the true position of things. We had to show them the tracking movement of the trucks from the DCP Obajana to the last point where they were arrested by the soldiers, to convince them that the trucks were not crossing to the republic of Cameroon as was being wrongfully insinuated by some media.

In the same vein, the Government of Adamawa State, in a press briefing with the Adamawa State Police Headquarters, also on Friday 16th Feb confirmed that both trucks were intended to deliver within the state and were escorted by police to deliver the products to the customer.

Business

Gov Uba Sani appoints Ben Kure as MD of KSMC

Published

2 days ago

August 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has appointed Ben Solomon Dalhatu Kure as the Managing Director of Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC).

Ibraheem Musa, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, disclosed this in a statement at the weekend.

Kure replaced Ahmed Maiyaki, who has just been appointed the Commissioner for Information.

He is expected to build on Mr. Ahmed Maiyaki’s leadership, which has repositioned the media corporation.

Before this appointment, Kure served as the Chairman of Jaba Local Government from 2016 to 2017, Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency from 2018 to 2019, and Special Adviser (Political Matters) to the Kaduna State Governor from 2019 to 2021.

Business

Nationwide fuel distribution: Dangote Refinery takes Delivery of CNG trucks

Published

2 days ago

August 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Dangote Refinery has announced the delivery of its first shipment of compressed natural gas trucks to facilitate its nationwide premium motor spirit and automotive gas oil supply from August 15, 2025.

The 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery disclosed this in a statement by its spokesperson, Anthony Chijiena, on Sunday.

According to him, the refinery, the N720 billion worth investment scheme, is aimed at transforming Nigeria’s fuel distribution landscape by reducing logistics costs and enhancing supply efficiency for customers.

“The fleet of fuel tankers, being imported through Apapa Port, represents a significant capital investment estimated at N720 billion.

“The first consignment of trucks recently departed Apapa Port and was formally received at the refinery site in Ibeju-Lekki by the Vice-President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Ltd., Devakumar Edwin,” the statement reads.

Recall that Dangote Refinery had announced that the fuel distribution scheme would cause a major shakeup in the country’s oil and gas downstream sector.

However, petroleum product retail outlet owners and the Natural Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria have, in different forums, kicked against the scheme, saying it would result in massive job losses.

Business

Naira returns to appreciation against dollar as Nigeria’s external reserves swell

Published

5 days ago

August 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The naira bounced back to appreciate against the dollar at the official foreign exchange market on Thursday as Nigeria’s external reserves continued to rise.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s data showed that the Naira gained slightly at N1,533.73 against the dollar on Thursday from N1,534.44 traded on Wednesday.

This means that Nigeria’s currency marginally strengthened by N0.70 against the dollar on a day-to-day basis.

Meanwhile at the black market, the Naira remained flat at N1,565 on Thursday, the same exchange rate recorded the previous day.

The development follows the continued rise in the country’s external reserves, which stood at $39.99 billion as of 6th August 2025, up from $39.81 billion on the 4th of this month, CBN data showed.

Ekwutosblog reports that in the past four days, the Naira has recorded mixed sentiments of depreciation and appreciation against other currencies.