ICYMI: Dangote to buy 10,000 CNG trucks to meet demand of logistics, construction industries

Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, has announced plans to buy 10,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks to meet the demand of the logistics and construction industries in the country.

Dangote spoke during the inauguration of the Dangote Sinotruk West Africa’s completely knocked-down (CKD) plant in Lagos.

He said the plant — a joint venture with over $100 million in total investment — is owned 60 percent by Dangote Industries, 30 percent by Sinotruk China, “and 5 percent by Anders”.

Inaugurated on June 9, the event was attended by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos state governor.

Dangote said the company’s decision to invest in truck assembly is to address the demand for vehicles in Nigeria’s logistics, construction, food, and beverage industries.

“Our aim is 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 are going to fully participate in the new CNG, which I think the government is driving. But we in Dangote, we are actually committed to buy 10,000 of the CNG trucks.”

In his remarks, Sanwo-Olu said his administration plans to acquire an additional 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 that were seen on the road in Lagos,” the governor said.

“We have also publicly made another order for 100 trucks of the compactors, because we found that they are reliable.”

Also speaking, Akpabio commended the Lagos state governor and Dangote for their efforts in creating jobs for Nigerians and reducing crime 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 together with the federal government to take children off the streets, off criminality, into employment,” Akpabio said.

Hikmat Thapa, the group’s general manager for projects, said they are handling welding, painting, and major jobs within the plant, adding that their capacity will increase to 30,000 trucks annually with the launch of the plant.