…says Ogun to become largest cement producer in Sub-Saharan Africa with $700m Dangote Plant
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has appealed to the President of the Dangote Group and the contractor handling the construction of the 100-kilometre Sagamu-Papalanto-Iro-Ilaro-Obelle road in Ewekoro Local Government Area of the State to expedite action on the road and ensure that the road is 70% completed by the end of the year.
The Governor added that the road is the State’s East-West route that connects Ogun West Senatorial district to the East Senatorial District of the State as well as Lagos-Ibadan expressway, saying that Ota and Agbara Industrial Estates would benefit immensely from the reconstruction of the road.
Abiodun made this known during an inspection of the level of work done on the road alongside the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and other dignitaries from both sides.
He disclosed that the road when completed would compete with the Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway in terms of industrial and economic growth.
The Governor said that the availability of gas in the Sagamu-Papalanto-Iro-Ilaro-Obelle axis would also play a major role at making the corridor an option for many investors around the world.
He expressed his satisfaction at the level of work on the road, noting that the road is a dual carriage that would be constructed using a unique style of construction because it is an industrial path that will carry trucks of high capacities.
The Governor disclosed that the contractor would use stone base as stabilisation and then another layer of stone base before they start reinforced concreting on the road.
He stressed that the road when completed would add to the Gross Domestic Products of the state and create employment opportunities for millions of Ogun State citizens through business ventures that will berth in the corridor.
“We are here again on the Sagamu- Papalanto-Ilaro-Obelle road. This road is a 100 kilometer road and we are hoping that by the end of this year,this road should be near completion.
“You can see that this corridor is not developed now, but, by the time the road is completed, it will compete with the Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway because there is gas here with a shorter route for industries to site and distribute to the hinterland,” he said.
Governor Abiodun described the commitment of Alhaji Dangote to the development of Ogun State and Nigeria as a mark of deep commitment and patriotism.
“Another mark of deep commitment, patriotism and corporate social responsibility that is exemplary and there was a lot of back and forth. The road was originally designed to be an asphalt paved road, but, Alhaji thought that for this road to serve Ogun State and Nigeria for as long as he anticipated, it has to be turned into a concrete road,” he noted.
Earlier in his remarks, Alhaji Aliko Dangote noted that the road will open up the economy of the state, adding that the area will now become the new industrial zone of the state.
“I don’t think you need to convince people to come and invest here in Ogun State. You know, the Governor has done a great job. This road is not only a passing road, it is a road that will open up the economy of the state. There would be a lot of factories because right now, there is accessibility, people can go in and out.
“This will be the new industrial zone of the state. It is not only having the road for people just to drive, it is also to create jobs and the growth of the economy of Ogun State and Nigeria.
“I think a lot of people are already living here. Their lives will change totally because they will now have a way of generating real income while I believe the state government will also allocate most of the land here to people who will now come and be productive. It is a land that will now create jobs by putting up factories,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Abiodun has disclosed that with the impending completion of the $700 million Dangote Cement plant in Itori, Ewekoro Local Government area of the state in 2026, the state is set to become the largest producer of cement in the country, with a total production of 24 million tons.
According to the Governor, the Dangote Cement plant will now produce several million tons of cement more than any other country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Governor Abiodun made this known during an inspection of the level of work on the second Dangote Cement plant in Itori, Ogun State, alongside the president of the group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The Dangote Cement plant, which is situated on 533 hectares of land, will produce 6 million tons of cement per annum and is expected to be completed by November 2026.
The Governor noted that with the $700 million investment by the Dangote Group into the state, Alhaji Dangote has further solidified the position of the state as the industrial capital of the country.
“Ogun State will be producing 18 million tons from Dangote, with an additional 6 million tons from Lafarge, so we are talking about Ogun State alone producing 24 million tons of cement.
“He has helped us assure potential industries that indeed we promised, and we have provided the required enabling environment for investors to thrive in Ogun State,” he said.
Governor Abiodun acknowledged the Dangote Group President for his determination and willingness to partner with Ogun State despite the fact that the immediate past administration in the state frustrated his efforts by demolishing his factory twice and hindering the construction of the Dangote refinery.
“For someone whose factory was demolished twice, whose vision someone else tried to truncate twice, the first time by frustrating the construction of the refinery, a $20 billion investment, an investment that would have impacted the entire Southwest of Nigeria, I am sure that in that refinery, Dangote employs probably 10,000 people at a minimum, with a multiplier effect of maybe another 30,000 who are benefiting indirectly; we lost that.
“They further came here and demolished this cement plant twice. You begin to wonder what informs such types of leadership decisions,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, acknowledged Governor Abiodun for his leadership acumen, which he said made him change his mind about investing in Ogun State.
Alhaji Dangote added that with the leadership style of Governor Abiodun, the Dangote Group is now back on site.
He noted that the Dangote Cement plant in Itori is going to create a lot of jobs because the plant has mines, a power plant, and other sections, saying that it is his belief that Governor Abiodun would commission the cement plant before the end of 2026.
“We must thank Your Excellency for your leadership because it is your leadership that actually made us come back to this site.
“It has a very long history where the former administration tried to stop this project because we started it in 2015. We came a year or two later, we restarted, and Governor Amosun then demolished the factory; he also demolished the fence so we wouldn’t even come back.
“But with your good leadership, Your Excellency, we are back on site.
“It was a marshy land; a site like this won’t create jobs, but because of your leadership, we’ve now been able to create a plant that will eventually create jobs and also push us into doing the Papalanto road, which is 100 kilometers. I am sure that road will be finished even before the factory,” he said.
In his remarks, the Olu of Itori, Oba Akorede Akamo, acknowledged Governor Abiodun for his strides in developing the entirety of the state, saying that he has brought real economic growth to the state.
