Dangote to buy 10,000 CNG trucks to meet demand of logistics, construction industries
Aliko Dangote, the chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, indicated the need to meet the demand from the logistics and construction industries in the country and has thus set out to buy 10,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks.
Dangote said this in his speech at the commissioning of the Dangote Sinotruk West Africa completely knocked down (CKD) plant in Lagos.
He said the plant joint venture with more than $100 million in total investment owned 60% by Dangote Industries, 30% by Sinotruk China, “and 5% by Anders”.
The ceremony, which kicked off on June 9, was graced by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the governor of Lagos state. According to Dangote, the reason for the company to get into the assembly of trucks is due to the great demand witnessed in Nigeria within the logistics, construction, food, and beverage sectors.
“We aim to meet the expected current demand of this segment of automobiles required for logistics, construction, food, and beverages industries in Nigeria,” the billionaire businessman said.
“I am sure we will fully participate in the new CNG, which the government drives. But we in Dangote, we are committed to buying 10,000 of the CNG trucks.” In his remarks, Sanwo-Olu said his administration plans to acquire 100 compactor trucks from the local automobile manufacturer due to their reliability.
“We have seen the benefit of what they are doing here. We have procured from them compactor trucks seen on the road in Lagos,” the governor said.
“We also have publicly ordered an added 100 trucks of the compactors because we found the company to be reliable.” Speaking on his part, Akpabio hailed the Lagos state governor and Dangote for employing Nigerians and, in the process helping reduce the level of crime taking place in Lagos. “I am sure even the president of the country will be glad to receive reports from us on what is going on in Lagos and how you and the governor of Lagos are collaborating with the federal government to take children off the streets, off criminality, into employment,” Akpabio said. “We are undertaking works like welding, painting, and major works at this plant,” said Hikmat Thapa, general manager of group projects. Capacity at the new plant for the group will be up to 30,000 trucks a year.
