Economy
Dangote to Build $450m Sugar Production Factory in Niger
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A sugar production factory capable of creating over 15,000 jobs is to be situated on a 16,000-hectare of land at Lavun Local Government Area of Niger State.
On Wednesday, August 23, 2017, President of Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state government for the $450million state-of–art and fully integrated sugar complex.
Mr Dangote noted that his decision to start the factory was part of his desire to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production through the government’s backward integration policy.
At the signing today in Minna, Mr Dangote said when the project is completed, it would bring about a complete economic turn-around for the state.
Dangote Group is currently operating out-grower scheme in rice production in a number of states and also has Africa’s largest sugar refinery in Lagos and a sugar cane plantation in Numan, Adamawa State.
Mr Dangote said his investment was informed by his company’s firm belief in the potentials of the Nigerian economy, adding that the new outlay will add value and create jobs for Nigerians.
He commended the Niger State Governor, Mr Abubakar Sani Bello for his foresight and efforts to woo investors to the state, noting that “the Dangote’s Integrated Sugar Project in Niger State will also include the establishment of integrated sugar mills, generate power, produce molasses, ethanol fuel, biomass and produce animal feeds.”
In his remarks, Governor Bello said the deal will revolutionize agriculture in his state and Nigeria. Expressing joy that the MoU was signed during his own administration, he described Mr Dangote as the liberator of the Nigerian economy and a dependable partner.
The Governor then urged Dangote Group to explore other investment opportunities available in the state, just as he announced that the state was opened for multi-sectoral investments.
Representative of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Aminu Bisala, described Mr Dangote as the biggest private sector supporter of the Nigerian economy, and Federal Government policies.
He said the Federal Government was comfortable with the numerous investments efforts of the Dangote Group.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Niger State Traditional Council Etsu Nupe, Mr Abubakar Yahyah said he was elated about the huge investment coming to the state, while praying God to bless the Dangote Group more.
Just last week, the conglomerate had sponsored an investment summit in the state, which was attended by former Presidents Abdulsalami Abubakar, Olusegun Obasanjo and the then Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, who described the private sector as key to the country’s economic development.
Group Managing Director of Dangote Sugar Plc, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, stated that the MoU would be a game changer for Niger State economy and Nigeria as a whole.
He said the integrated sugar mills will have the capacity to produce 160,000MT of raw sugar, pointing out that has been in the fore front of support for government industrialization programmes through backward integration policy in agriculture.
According to him, the Dangote Sugar Refinery is developing a sugar backward integration plan through the production of 1.5MT/PA in ten years in: Nasarawa, Adamawa, Kogi, Kwara, Taraba and Niger states respectively.
The Group’s Executive Director Stakeholders’ Management and Corporate Communication, Mr Ahmed Mansur, had also announced that the Group was investing over $1billion in the agricultural sector in the country, specifically in rice, sugar, tomato and dairy productions.
Niger State Commissioner for Investment, Commerce and Industry, Rahmatu Muhammad Yar’Adua said that the deal with Dangote Group will help grow the agricultural sector and create direct and indirect jobs in the state.
It would be recalled that the Group’s foray into sugar business began in 1981. It has injected over $104million into the Savannah Sugar Company Limited it acquired from government in 2003. Savannah Sugar this year alone, produced 20,000MT of raw sugar from its plantation.
By Dipo Olowookere
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited witnessed Santa Claus rally on Wednesday after it closed higher by 0.12 per cent.
Strong demand for Nigerian stocks lifted the All-Share Index (ASI) by 185.70 points during the pre-Christmas trading session to 153,539.83 points from 153,354.13 points.
In the same vein, the market capitalisation expanded at midweek by N118 billion to N97.890 trillion from the preceding day’s N97.772 trillion.
Investor sentiment on Customs Street remained bullish after closing with 36 appreciating equities and 22 depreciating equities, indicating a positive market breadth index.
Guinness Nigeria chalked up 9.98 per cent to trade at N318.60, Austin Laz improved by 9.97 per cent to N3.20, International Breweries expanded by 9.85 per cent to N14.50, Transcorp Hotels rose by 9.83 per cent to N170.90, and Aluminium Extrusion grew by 9.73 per cent to N16.35.
On the flip side, Legend Internet lost 9.26 per cent to close at N4.90, AXA Mansard shrank by 7.14 per cent to N13.00, Jaiz Bank declined by 5.45 per cent to N4.51, MTN Nigeria weakened by 5.21 per cent to N504.00, and NEM Insurance crashed by 4.74 per cent to N24.10.
Yesterday, a total of 1.8 billion shares valued at N30.1 billion exchanged hands in 19,372 deals versus the 677.4 billion shares worth N20.8 billion traded in 27,589 deals in the previous session, implying a slump in the number of deals by 29.78 per cent, and a surge in the trading volume and value by 165.72 per cent and 44.71 per cent apiece.
Abbey Mortgage Bank was the most active equity for the day after it sold 1.1 billion units worth N7.1 billion, Sterling Holdings traded 127.1 million units valued at N895.9 million, Custodian Investment exchanged 115.0 million units for N4.5 billion, First Holdco transacted 40.9 million units valued at N2.2 billion, and Access Holdings traded 38.2 million units worth N783.3 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigerian food and beverage company, Rite Foods Limited, has extended warm Yuletide greetings to Nigerians as families and communities worldwide come together to celebrate the Christmas season and usher in a new year filled with hope and renewed possibilities.
In a statement, Rite Foods encouraged consumers to savour these special occasions with its wide range of quality brands, including the 13 variants of Bigi Carbonated Soft Drinks, premium Bigi Table Water, Sosa Fruit Drink in its refreshing flavours, the Fearless Energy Drink, and its tasty sausage rolls — all produced in a world-class facility with modern technology and global best practices.
Speaking on the season, the Managing Director of Rite Foods Limited, Mr Seleem Adegunwa, said the company remains deeply committed to enriching the lives of consumers beyond refreshment. According to him, the Yuletide period underscores the values of generosity, unity, and gratitude, which resonate strongly with the company’s philosophy.
“Christmas is a season that reminds us of the importance of giving, togetherness, and gratitude. At Rite Foods, we are thankful for the continued trust of Nigerians in our brands. This season strengthens our resolve to consistently deliver quality products that bring joy to everyday moments while contributing positively to society,” Mr Adegunwa stated.
He noted that the company’s steady progress in brand acceptance, operational excellence, and responsible business practices reflects a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and responsiveness to consumer needs. These efforts, he said, have further strengthened Rite Foods’ position as a proudly Nigerian brand with growing relevance and impact across the country.
Mr Adegunwa reaffirmed that Rite Foods will continue to invest in research and development, efficient production processes, and initiatives that support communities, while maintaining quality standards across its product portfolio.
“As the year comes to a close, Rite Foods Limited wishes Nigerians a joyful Christmas celebration and a prosperous New Year filled with peace, progress, and shared success.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira closed the pre-Christmas trading day positive after it gained N6.61 or 0.46 per cent against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Wednesday, December 24, trading at N1,443.38/$1 compared with the previous day’s N1,449.99/$1.
Equally, the Naira appreciated against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment by N1.30 to close at N1,949.57/£1 versus Tuesday’s closing price of N1,956.03/£1 and gained N2.94 on the Euro to finish at N1,701.31/€1 compared with the preceding day’s N1,707.65/€1.
At the parallel market, the local currency maintained stability against the greenback yesterday at N1,485/$1 and also traded flat at the GTBank forex counter at N1,465/$1.
Further support came as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funded international payments with additional $150 million sales to banks and authorised dealers at the official window.
This helped eased pressure on the local currency, reflecting a steep increase in imports. Market participants saw a sequence of exchange rate swings amidst limited FX inflows.
Last week, the apex bank led the pack in terms of FX supply into the market as total inflows fell by about 50 per cent week on week from $1.46 billion in the previous week.
Foreign portfolio investors’ inflows ranked behind exporters and the CBN supply, but there was support from non-bank corporate Dollar volume.
As for the cryptocurrency market, it witnessed a slight recovery as tokens struggled to attract either risk-on enthusiasm or defensive flows.
The inertia follows a sharp reversal earlier in the quarter. A heavy selloff in October pulled Bitcoin and other coins down from record levels, leaving BTC roughly down by 30 per cent since that period and on track for its weakest quarterly performance since the second quarter of 2022. But on Wednesday, its value went up by 0.9 per cent to $87,727.35.
Further, Ripple (XRP) appreciated by 1.7 per cent to $1.87, Cardano (ADA) expanded by 1.2 per cent to $0.3602, Dogecoin (DOGE) grew by 1.1 per cent to $0.1282, Litecoin (LTC) also increased by 1.1 per cent to $76.57, Solana (SOL) soared by 1.0 per cent to $122.31, Binance Coin (BNB) rose by 0.6 per cent to $842.37, and Ethereum (ETH) added 0.3 per cent to finish at $2,938.83, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
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