LOVE him, loathe him, Alhaji Aliko Dangote continues to make all the difference in the nation's economy, particularly the private sector.With an intimidating stature imposed on virtually all sectors of the economy and touching nearly every aspect of human endeavour, the Kano-born business mogul appears to have demystified every impediment to success and instead opened up avenues for other Nigerians to make living.Nigerians literally paid little attention to the news of his making the enviable list of the Federal Government nominees for national honours in 2011 probably because they believe that the business mogul really deserves the honour being done him by the country.Currently, Dangote is the 51st Forbes richest man in the world (with net worth of $13.8b,) and arguably Africa's number one. His group of companies currently has nationwide staff strength of 12,000, with an estimation of 22,000 upon completion of on-going projects.From cement business to sugar and salt production, the unassuming President/Chief Executive Officer of the Dangote Group, owns the largest manufacturing conglomerate in Africa. Yet, his appetite for business appears insatiable. Of course, like every frontline businessman, certain policies of government that were targeted at encouraging economic growth might have turned out in Dangote's favour; yet he seems to be one of the very few, if not the only one, with something to show for it.Riding roughshod against the storm of criticisms, and, sometimes, unfounded suspicion, Alhaji Dangote has created a business empire that even the worst of his critics cannot gainsay. Some of his quoted companies include the Dangote Cement, Dangote Flour Mills, Dangote Sugar Refinery and National Salt Company of Nigeria.Other companies include the Green View Development Services Ltd, which manages Terminal E of the Apapa Port with activities spanning terminal and bulk cargo operations.Dangote's cement businesses are fully integrated, and operate from Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, Senegal, South Africa and Zambia. The Abajana plant prides itself as the largest in sub-Saharan region and currently produces five million metric tonnes yearly.Perhaps, what makes all the difference for Dangote's adventure in the economy is the fact that his are companies that are actively engaged in manufacturing, even in the face of obvious infrastructure challenges.According to an extract from the group's official site, it is 'involved in diverse forms of manufacturing with high turnover. Dangote textile and the Nigeria Textiles Mills Plc, which it acquired, produce over 120,000 metres of finished textiles daily. The group has a ginnery in Kankawa, Katsina State with a capacity of 30,000 MT of seeded cotton annually.'The sugar refinery at Apapa port, Lagos is the largest in Africa and in size the third largest in the world with an annual capacity of 700,000 tonnes of refined sugar annually. It also has another 100,000 tonne-capacity sugar mill at Hadeja in Jigawa State.''Apart from having substantial investment in the National Salt Company of Nigeria at Ota, Ogun State, the group has salt factories at Apapa and Calabar, a polypropylene bagging factory which produces required bags for its products, over 600 trailers for efficient distribution network and goods meant for export can also efficiently be transported to the ports.'A vehicle-leasing unit, with over 100 fully air-conditioned commuter buses, is also part of the Dangote Group.'Dangote Agro Sacks Ltd was established in 1998 as a Private Limited Liability Company to produce both woven and laminated polypropylene sacks. It commenced operation with monthly output of five million bags, not only to meet the requirements of unit companies within the Dangote Group but also to meet market demand.'As dictated by the growing market requirements, production output was raised to 14 million in 2001 and 31 million in 2008, producing from two sites ' ADSTAR and AGROSACKS ' in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Presently, the company is reputed to have the highest capacity in the world. It also produces with the most modern state-of-the-art machinery.'Ad-Star factory, which has the exclusivity of producing cement bags that contain latest robotic Ad Star convertex machines, has the capacity to produce 108 million bags per annum. Provided with an automatic valve, the bags are produced without any stitching.The story of Dangote, how he started small and his giant strides in business has been told many times. Having received a small capital from the late Alhaji Sanusi Dantata in 1977, he started business in Kano by trading in commodities and building materials. Shortly after (still in 1977), he had to move to Lagos and continued trading in cement and commodities. Success smiled on him leading him to incorporate two companies in 1981, which, together with others that followed, form today's Dangote Group as a conglomerate.Only recently, the Group, through the Dangote Academy, flagged off a programme with a view to recruiting 30 young engineers under its Graduate Engineer Trainee [GET] scheme. The newly established Academy seeks to produce the desiredindustrial manpower need of the Dangote Group and, by extension, the country. Three weeks ago, it drew young and talented engineers from across the country during its inauguration at the Dangote Cement Factory Obajana ,KogiState.Dangote was quoted as saying that the newly established Academy as 'ahuman resources factory,'in line with his vision, would 'create a talent pipeline for cement production in the country.''The Academy is toadequately address the dearth of skilled manpower, especially in the manufacturing sector, and promote rapid industrialisationusing local talent.Dangote, through the programme, selects young, talented, craft-oriented and dynamic candidates for a one-year on-the-job trainingto become future executives at managerial and supervisorylevels. The young Nigerian engineers are exposed to intensive, practical training and skill acquisition in various technical areas for a period of 12 months.Sources say the initial phase of the programme is being implemented in collaboration with the Industrial Training Fund.Already, over 500 other trainee technicians with National Diploma certificates from Nigerian Polytechnics have kick-started the programme intwo batches.
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