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Lagos Govt Orders Additional 100 Trucks from Dangote’s Trucks Assembly Plant as Akpabio Commissions new CKD Plant

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…Gov, Senators hail Dangote on impactful facility

 

Leadership of the Senate at the weekend unveiled the multi-million dollar world-class Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Ltd CKD Plant established by the business mogul, Aliko Dangote with a call on other eminent Nigerians to emulate him in using their wealth to benefit the nation.

This is just as the excited Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, equally announced his administration’s plan for the acquisition of an extra 100 compactor trucks from the indigenous automobile manufacturer to enhance service delivery within the state metropolis.

Sanwo-Olu made the announcement on Sunday during the commissioning of the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) Plant of the facility by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio. He emphasised that the products of Dangote Sinotruk are of world-standard, crafted with precision to meet customer satisfaction.

President/CE of the Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote, who conducted the leadership of the Upper Chamber and executive management of the company around the premises of the Dangote facility in Ikeja, Lagos, stated that the decision to invest in the truck assembly plant is part of his strategies to add value and reduce imports. He added that the plant will fabricate diverse types of trailers and tipper bodies with the goal of achieving domestic self-sufficiency and serving the West African regional market.

“We are playing a strategic and key role in developing the heavy-duty truck assembling and manufacturing industry in Nigeria. We are providing employment opportunities for Nigerians as well as improving the local automobile industry. We will continue to invest in the plant and achieve technological advancement for Nigeria. We will continue to promote Nigeria’s economic development,” the renowned entrepreneur stated in his welcome address.

While appreciating the support of strategic stakeholders, including the National Assembly, Dangote said Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited is set to write the next chapter in Nigeria’s industrialisation story as well as drive progress across West Africa for a brighter and more prosperous future.

Noting that the state acquired 102 compactor trucks for its Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in 2022, Governor Sanwo-Olu hailed Dangote for the remarkable transformation of the facility from a dormant textile mill to a thriving vehicle assembly plant.

“Honestly, this is about partnership. It is about a sense of purpose and the fact that as a people, we need to develop our economy and our environment better than we met it. Dangote Industries Limited is a testament to a good local business that has become a global name. It can compete with other brands globally. It is a brand that all Africans can be proud of. They have kept the vision of this place by ensuring that industry is created, people are employed, and young people are trained,” he said.

Governor Sanwo-Olu stressed that the state is open to business as the commercial hub of Nigeria, commending the Dangote group for embracing CNG-powered vehicles, noting that it is cost-effective and promotes cleaner energy.

During the plant’s commissioning, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, commended the proprietors, stressing that ‘Dangote is Africa’s export to the world’. He noted that the facility, which creates over 3,000 jobs across Nigeria, aligns with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

Reiterating the senate leadership’s happiness with the facility, Akpabio assured of the federal government’s support to Dangote’s drive to ensure Nigeria attains self-sufficiency in key sectors. Calling on other investors to learn from Dangote, he also challenged other states to provide business-friendly environments for investors.

Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited, a joint venture company with a total investment of $100 million, boasts cutting-edge facilities and machinery, enabling it to achieve a production capacity of 15-16 trucks per shift, or approximately 10,000 trucks annually.

However, the Chief Executive Officer of the facility, Hikmat Thapa, said the capacity will be scaled up to 13,000 trucks annually with the commissioning of the new CKD plant. He also affirmed that the majority of the fabrication and assembly lines are being handled by trained Nigerians. He stated that the vision of the plant is to assemble and produce a full range of commercial vehicles tailored to the specific needs of the market.

“From heavy-duty trucks to medium trucks, light trucks, and semi-trailers, our aim is to meet the growing demand for reliable transportation across various sectors, including logistics, construction, and food and beverage industries,” he added.

 

Lagos Govt Orders Additional 100 Trucks from Dangote’s Trucks Assembly Plant as Akpabio Commissions new CKD Plant

Business

Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech

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Dennis Ekamah Isn’t Building Houses—He’s Redefining What Home Means for Africans Through PropTech.

 

The founder of coHouse.ng is reimagining how millions of Africans access, experience, and share housing through technology.

 

In Africa’s rapidly evolving innovation landscape, the most transformative companies are no longer defined by the industries they enter, but by the systems they redesign.

 

For Dennis Ekamah, the opportunity was never about constructing buildings, it was about confronting a deeper question.

 

why is access to housing still so structurally difficult for millions of Africans in a digital age?

 

Rather than stepping into real estate as a developer. Dennis chose a different path, positioning coHouse.ng as a PropTech platform rethinking how housing is accessed, experienced, and shared. At the heart of this vision which is connecting potential home owners together via resource pooling for the purpose of either Living or Growth. Simply, *Connect. Live. Grow.*

 

*A Platform Not a Property Company*

 

coHouse.ng is not a real estate company. It is a technology-driven ecosystem connecting like-minded individuals into structured communities where they can live intentionally, invest collectively, and grow within a shared system.

 

From Insight to Recognition

 

In 2025, coHouse.ng was recognised among the Top 50 Tech Startups in Africa. Even ahead of its official launch, the platform attracted over 1,000 early waitlist users, individuals eager to be part of a new way of living and investing.

 

Solving for Access, Alignment, and Trust

 

Dennis Ekamah’s diagnosis goes deeper than supply shortfalls. The real barriers he argues are access, coordination, and trust. coHouse.ng tackles all three through identity verification powered by a third party verification system api. coHouse is not flying solo without the help and collaboration with government bodies across Nigeria and other African countries.

 

In his words;

“Imagine what you would achieve as an individual or group if you’re living with the right people or like-minded individuals around you.”

 

I’m not a developer, I’m not a professional realtor, I’m just someone who sees the need for this solution based on the problem we face as youth/young entrepreneurs in today’s housing deficiency across Africa.

— Dennis Ekamah

 

Join our waitlist by visiting www.cohouse.ng

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

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Landmark Judgment: Federal High Court Dismisses ₦50bn Oil Spill Claim Against ExxonMobil

 

The Federal High Court sitting in Uyo has dismissed a ₦50 billion lawsuit filed against ExxonMobil, sued as Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, now Seplat Energy Producing, in a ruling analysts say could significantly reshape oil spill litigation and compensation claims in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

Delivering judgment on April 29, 2026, Justice Onyetenu held that the suit instituted by the Ejige Ore Njenyisi Muma & Fishing Co-operative Society Ltd was incompetent and liable to dismissal for lack of jurisdiction.

The plaintiffs had sought ₦50 billion in damages over an alleged hydrocarbon spill said to have occurred on September 12, 2021.

However, counsel to the defendant, Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP, successfully argued that the claimants failed to disclose any legally recognisable violation attributable to the oil firm.

In its findings, the court held that the plaintiffs failed to establish any actionable wrongdoing against the defendant.

A key element in the court’s decision was the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) Report tendered by the plaintiffs themselves, which showed that the alleged spill incident was confined within ExxonMobil’s operational facility and did not impact the members of the cooperative society or their sources of livelihood.

The court further ruled that claims arising from such incidents must be pursued strictly under the statutory compensation framework provided in Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act, rather than through common-law claims founded on negligence or nuisance.

Justice Onyetenu held that the plaintiffs’ attempt to circumvent the statutory regime by framing the suit as a tort action rendered the matter incompetent before the court, thereby depriving it of jurisdiction.

Legal analysts say the judgment reinforces the supremacy of the Oil Pipelines Act in determining compensation procedures relating to oil pipeline incidents and environmental claims in Nigeria.

The ruling is also seen as strengthening the evidential weight of Joint Investigation Visit Reports, particularly in cases where such reports indicate no direct impact on claimants or host communities.

Industry observers believe the judgment will have far-reaching implications for future oil spill litigation, especially regarding the procedural requirements for compensation claims against oil operators.

The court’s decision further provides clarity for operators within Nigeria’s energy sector by reaffirming that compliance with Section 11(5) of the Oil Pipelines Act is mandatory and cannot be sidestepped through alternative legal formulations.

While K.O. Uzuokwu appeared for the plaintiffs, the defence was led by Chinonso Ekuma of KENNA LP on behalf of ExxonMobil.

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

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Union Bank Honoured by ASBON at Nigeria National SME Business Awards

 

 

Lagos, Nigeria – Union Bank of Nigeria has reaffirmed its reputation as a strong supporter of Nigerian businesses, receiving the Best SME Growth Banking Initiatives Award for 2025 from the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) at the Nigeria National SME Business Awards, held recently in Lagos.

The award was presented to the Bank in recognition of its strategic leadership in advancing the growth and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises, through a differentiated suite of solutions designed to enable business expansion and long-term value creation.

Receiving the award on behalf of the Bank, Ayokunnumi Abraham, Head of SME Segment at Union Bank, described the recognition as a strong endorsement of the Bank’s commitment to supporting small and medium-sized businesses. He said:

“We are honoured to receive this recognition, which reflects Union Bank’s continued commitment to helping SMEs grow by making banking simpler, faster, and more accessible. Through enhancements to our specialised platforms such as Union360, we have meaningfully reduced the time it takes for businesses to come on board and begin transacting. These improvements have shortened onboarding, increased digital adoption among our SME customers, and supported the acquisition of new business clients. Our focus remains on delivering practical solutions that help Nigerian businesses thrive.”

Organised by ASBON in partnership with the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, the event convened stakeholders from the public and private sectors to recognise individuals and organisations driving meaningful impact across Nigeria’s SME ecosystem.

Union Bank remains focused on deepening its support for SMEs through customer-led solutions and processes that strengthen business growth across the ecosystem.

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