During the meeting, the DYAN members presented Edwin with an award of “Icon of Delight Service” in recognition of what they described as his contributions toward Societal Development, Human Upliftment, and Selfless Service to Humanity.

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Mr. Biu, who stated this in Abuja when he hosted a team from the Dangote Cement Plc, Transport Division, said the significant reduction in crashes

was made possible through the collaboration with his agency and the implementation of some mutually agreed safety standards by the company. The Dangote team was led by the Divisional Director of Transport, Mr. Ajay Singh.

The commendation is an outcome of several strategies executed by the company to ensure Dangote truck drivers adhere strictly to safety standards as prescribed by the FRSC across the country.

The Road Safety boss said: “Notable among this is the reduction of road traffic crashes involving Dangote Transport Trucks through the implementation of minimum safety standards in the Road Transport Safety Standardisation Scheme (RTSSS).”

According to Biu, in order to effectively achieve this success, the FRSC collaborated with the Technical Committee comprising Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), and the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) on speed limiting device implementation in Nigeria.

He said the establishment of an Outpost at Dangote Cement Plant Obajana, has contributed tremendously to the reduction of road traffic crashes along the ever-busy Obajana – Kabba road in Kogi State.

Other areas of collaboration with the company, he said, include, the establishment of standard and functional driving school, collaboration in conducting professional Road Assessment (Road Safety Audit) for issues of safety concerns on the roads, as well as partnership on the Dangote Drivers’ Training Centre (Driving Range).

Speaking on various efforts by the company geared towards reduction of accidents involving Dangote Trucks, Dangote Cement Group Head, Transport, Health, Safety & Environment Nigeria & Pan Africa, Mrs. Ebere Okonkwo stated that the company adopted several strategies to ensure compliance with Nigeria road safety standards.

She listed the strategies to include: Improvement of drivers and journey managers’ competence in both HSE and job skills in order to achieve line ownership of safety and safe delivery.

According to Mrs. Okonkwo, “Plans were put in place to improve our maintenance management. Actions were developed to improve and embed an effective journey management system with focus on supervision. We introduced compliance monitoring and reporting such as performing check-ins on drivers while on trips, random alcohol and drugs tests etc.

“We increased the sphere of influence by showcasing visibly-felt safety leadership at the frontlines through engagements, campaigns, general empowerment to stop unsafe work, behaviours etc. Consequence management (reward and sanctions); reward for compliance and sanctions for non-compliance was also introduced and behaviours monitored based on criteria, to determine who gets rewarded as a result of safety performance and who gets sanctioned,” she added.

Okonkwo noted that the HSE team embarked on HSSE competence development trainings for all staff across categories to improve their competence on safety and their influence/supervision skills to the frontline workers (drivers).

She said internal behavioural-based safety trainings, safety stand-downs to cascade learnings from internal and industry incidents, safety campaigns covering different prevailing risk areas, pep talks by “HSE teams and transport trainers across locations, engagement of shop floor workers by various categories of management e.t.c. were carried out.

She added that, “The FRSC carries out recertification training exercise for our drivers, operations staff and trucks in Nigeria every six months. Across our Pan Africa locations, engagements, competence development trainings are deployed internally and externally based on risks using our experienced and well recognised internal resources and approved government resources. Where available, simulators are used for defensive driving trainings; for example in Cameroon, the training is facilitated by the Safe Way, Right Way Foundation e.t.c.”

Speaking earlier, Divisional Director Transport, Dangote Cement Plant, Obajana, Mr Ajay Singh said the collaboration between the Dangote Group and the FRSC was paying off. He, on behalf of the company, also congratulated the Corps Marshal for his elevation and appointment.

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On the back of the Largest Corporate Bond lodgment on FMDQ award came another recognition with the Dangote Group named as the Most Outstanding Conglomerate in Environmental Sustainability.

The cement giant came tops in the stock market for its unprecedented N116 billion Series 2 Bond issuance back in May this year.

The FMDQ Gold Awards recognises excellence in Fixed Income, Currencies and Derivatives market. It also recognises demonstrated resilience and agility of the Nigerian financial markets participants and acknowledges the valuable efforts of the stakeholders and their participation in the FMDQ markets and across the financial market. It is also given to the corporate entity for the highest total bonds value admitted on FMDQ Depository.

During the annual Most Trusted Brand Award, organised by leading research firm Brand Health Ltd, Dangote Cement was chosen as the most trusted cement brand in a survey of 13,000 consumers.

The Chief Executive Officer, Brand Health Ltd, Emman Udowoima commended Dangote Cement for the achievement, describing it as a brand of trust and choice indeed. According to him “four out of ten consumers who took part in the study voted Dangote Cement as the Most Trusted Cement Brand in Nigeria. The popularity and the confidence in the brand is overwhelming as its closest rival scored just 12% while Dangote scored 41%.”

Other cement brands with substantial mentions scored between 3% and 8%. Some of the elements of the survey include questions like ‘the brand that you feel most confident in, the brand that offers you what you want, the brand that offers highest quality, the brand that is distinctive, and the brand you would recommend to your friends and relatives.

Udowoima stated that about 13,000 respondents participated in the 2022 survey and were interviewed across 12 states in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory. The States are: Lagos, Oyo, Enugu, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Plateau, Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna and Kano and the respondents were drawn from both urban and rural communities.

The survey, he said, used quantitative method to elicit responses from the consumers, and also focused on such demographics as gender – Male 50%, Female 50%; Social Class: AB 15%, C1 C2 40%, DE 45%; Age: 18-25, 30%, 26-35, 30%, 36-50, 25%, 51+ 15%.

He explained that “The Most Trusted Brands (MTB)” Awards was instituted in 2010 to reward brands that keep promises to the consumers. The award is an enabler for brands to do more for consumers, knowing full well that consumers either reward or punish brands according to their experiences.

The Dangote Industries Limited also received the award of the Most Outstanding Conglomerate in Environmental Sustainability. The award was given by the Environmental Sustainability Conference, Expo and Awards (ECOSEA) initiated by Brand Communicator, a frontline brands and marketing publication.

Joshua Ajayi, the convener of the conference and awards said, “corporate sustainability practices evolved rapidly in the country’s business space, from just being a cosmetic charity activity into organised sustainability needs built into a vision with specific goals.”

The award, which took place during the celebration of the organisation’s World Environment Day recently also gathered the best sustainability players to discuss various issues in sustainability during the conference themed Only One Earth: Building a Safer Environment.

Dangote Industries, a fully diversified conglomerate with annual group turnover of US$4billion has invested heavily in building a sustainable business which cuts across Cement, Sugar, Salt, Petroleum, Fertiliser and food. 

Anthony Chiejina, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer at Dangote Industries thanked the organisers, describing the awards as another milestone in the Dangote Group’s business trajectory. He said it is a testament to the strategic business model being executed by the manufacturing giant, which is aimed at rejuvenating Nigeria’s economy and engendering developmental growth of Africa. 

He expressed the assurance that the Dangote Group would not relent in its commitment to Africa’s development, adding that, “we will continue to impact lives positively through production of goods that meet the peoples’ need.”

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Dangote emerged top with an aggregate score of 83.7 Brand Strength Measurement (BSM) Index score. This is followed by MTN, Globacom and Access Bank in fourth place.

Others among the top 10 are Airtel Nigeria, Coca-Cola, Zenith Bank, GTCO, First Bank and UBA at fifth to tenth positions respectively.

The annual top brands’ evaluation report which is now like a report card, with which top corporate brands have an independent opinion about their brand performance, from the consumers’ points of view has also become a sort of ‘bragging’ right and a source of pride for the brands that made the top 50 league table, particularly, those that took the lead.

In a press statement release after the public presentation, the rating firm said “The annual top brand evaluation is a qualitative, non-financial estimation of value of top corporate brands in the country. A measure of consumers’ perceptions and how positive or otherwise towards a brand, and how this affects its overall strength, using the Brand Strength Measurement (BSM)index, a model that tests a brand’s ability to deliver on its promise to the consumers from the consumers’ points of view.

Chief Corporate Communications and Branding officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina said: “Dangote’s emergence, for the fifth year consecutively, did not come as a surprise to industry watchers. The brand has steadily increased its influence in many African nations through the establishment of cement factories. It operates in about 13 African nations making it one of the most visible, recognized and admired brands in Africa”

In his address to the owners and promoters of the top brands, TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA CEO, Taiwo Oluboyede said, “Brand has become a critical differentiator that helps consumer’s choice and also separates the top corporate organisations from the others and even much more. It is also consumers’ buying choice justification” He likened the task of building formidable and continuously strong brand to a flower, he said “When you plant a flower, you keep watering and pruning it to grow and until it blossoms, and this you do for its lifetime” If you omit or forget to prune or water, regardless of how beautiful it is at the beginning, it dies. The same is applicable to brand. That is why we have seen brands that dropped from the 50-league table in recent times, while new ones emerge.”

He said further “So, the responsibility lies with the owners and promoters to consistently maintain compelling propositions and live up to their promises. As we all know, it’s not just about making proposition, but living up to its demands and consistently so. This is what makes a top brand.”

For the 2022 evaluation, Nigerian-owned brands again dominated the top 10, with 7 brands. Dangote leading the pack, followed by Globacom, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, GTCO, First Bank and UBA

Five brands among top ten are banks while 3 are telecoms. Nine of the top ten were among the top 10 last year, with Access Bank making a dramatic leap to fourth place, effectively topping the Banking and Financial Services Categories.

Four brands, maintained their previous year’s position among the top 10, while six of the top 10 had maintained top 10 positions for 7 years consecutively. Overall, 28 or 56 per cent of the 50 Brands are multinational brands, while 22 or 44 percent are Nigerian. PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc emerged as the highest gainer this year by moving up 10 places, from 38 last year to 28^th position. Rite Foods, another Nigerian brand emerged as a first entrant into the annual brand ranking this year.

Fifteen (15) brands maintained their 2021 position- these are (Dangote, MTN Nigeria, Globacom, First Bank, Nestle Nigeria Plc, Guinness Nig Plc, Nigerian Breweries, Seven-up Bottling Company, Julius Berger, FMN Plc, Chi Limited, Oando Plc, Energies, P&G, Axa-Mansard and TGI.

Furthermore, the Banking & Financial Services category had the highest entries with – 11 brands, that is, 22%.  Access Bank topped the category, and consumer goods followed with – 8 brands. That is 16%. Dufil Prima Foods topped the list.

Conglomerates had 7 brands. that is 14% with Dangote Group on top, beverages came at the fourth place with 6 brands. That is 12%. Coca-Cola topped the category, Oil & Gas and the Insurance categories had 3 brands each, amounting the 6% each. Oando Plc and AIICO Insurance topped them respectively and electronics, mass media and Building & Construction Services returned with 2 brands each that is 4% for each. Samsung, Multichoice and Julius Berger topped their respective categories.

Meanwhile, agriculture and automobile have 1 brand each, an equivalent of 2% of the total top brands. Olam International and Toyota Nigeria topped their individual group.

In his contribution to the annual top brands’ evaluation, Mr Olufemi Awoyemi, Chairman Proshare Nigeria said “First, it is commendable to see that in the evaluation process used in ranking the brands, professionals such as Chief Marketing Officers and Head of Corporate Communications and Reputation Managers. Eight (8) companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) made the list of top 10 brands in Nigeria. With the thorough evaluation process and degree of attention to detail evident in the report, the list indeed provides a true and fair representation of top brands by strength, popularity and potential in Nigeria.

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Speaking at the official launching of the programme on Wednesday, the president of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote said that the landmark program is a Seven-million Euro investment, a large percentage of which is for the specialized, leading-edge equipment that has been shipped from Germany and installed in five workshops purpose-built for this program at Dangote Academy in Obajana. He also said the beneficiaries will be trained, using these machines, so they can learn practical skills that will be transferable as they enter the workforce.

This program, according to him, is the first of its kind in Nigeria and will be replicated in all the six geo-political zones of the country.

Noting that vocational and technical skills are vital to the well-being of any economy, as key levers for growth, specifically in the manufacturing sector, Dangote said significant skills gaps exist in Nigeria, which is what this program is seeking to address.

According to him: “The trainees that successfully pass through the full vocational training will be prepared as well-rounded professionals. In addition to the technical training, they will also get personal effectiveness training of same quality as our staff”

Germany’s minister for economic cooperation and development, Dr. Gerd Muller, lauded the Aliko Dangote Foundation and VDMA for the enviable program that can transform and develop the economy of Nigeria. He said his ministry has supported the initiative with €3.6 million and will not hesitate to do more for the purpose of the initiatives to be achieved.

The VDMA past president, Dr Reinhold Fostge stated that “I am very happy that this has become reality eventually in Nigeria. We started six years ago. Four years ago, we signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Nigerian German training project. This program is to raise the skill level of workers and make the youth employable…our vision in VDMA is that, in the future, we should be able to exchange highly skilled professionals between Nigeria and Germany, and as a matter of fact, I have no objection to inviting Nigerian specialists to help me in Germany and vice versa”

Meanwhile, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, enjoined both the Aliko Dangote Foundation and VDMA to consider citing the second training workshop in Lagos, with a promise to make funds available for the take-off of this laudable programme.

He said: I am truly excited to be part of this epoch and nation-changing event…for us in Lagos, I am happy to announce that we have six well maintained vocational training schools… but we are going to not just talk here today, we are going to be making a public commitment that given what I have listened to now, we are not going to leave this to Dangote Foundation alone, we have to upscale our commitment.

“We won’t wait for him to replicate this in the six geographical zones of the country. Lagos State will work with him and ask the VDMA what level of commitment is required from the state government…to ensure that in no distance future, we can replicate and bring a full arm of the Dangote academy to Lagos State…we do not want government bureaucracy to stall this, if it is to raise finance that is required, I can assure you that Lagos state is ready to that and why are we making this commitment?

“It is because of where we see Lagos… the amount of the teeming youth that we have in our country and our state. Lagos has continued to be the biggest economy in our country and even in Africa, and what this present to us is an opportunity to bridge that will help to significantly reduce the unemployment level in the state”

Congratulating the trainees, Dangote said: “I understand that we chose only 120 of you out of over 4,000 applicants. This means you are smart, you are the best and the brightest, we believe in you, and expect great things from you. I urge you to make use of this wonderful opportunity and become productive for the well-being of our country.”

He also promised that more youth will be admitted and very soon, all the six geo-political zones of the country will witness massive development through the scheme.

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