Dangote Cement Plc, Ibese Plant, on Wednesday deepened its community engagement with the empowerment of youths, women and students in its host communities, announcing a N15.72m scholarship scheme and unveiling a social investment scorecard that showed 13 completed projects and 10 ongoing initiatives.
The interventions were unveiled at the 4th edition of the company’s annual Community Day held in Ibese, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, as part of efforts to give back to communities hosting the cement plant.
Speaking at the event, the Plant Director, Mr Ayyagari Subbaraidu, said the Community Day reflected the company’s “deliberate and continuous effort to broaden stakeholder engagement and deepen community participation.”
Subbaraidu, who was represented by the Chief General Manager, Maintenance, Mr Hemant Dave, said the programme had become a strategic platform to review the company’s social footprint.
“This occasion reflects our deliberate and continuous effort to broaden stakeholder engagement and deepen community participation,” he said.
“Community Day has become a strategic feature that provides a platform to reflect on our social stewardship in the year with a comprehensive account of our corporate social investments.”
He added, “It is the Dangote Way — a commitment that goes beyond producing quality cement to embracing care, inclusion and partnership with the people around us.
“This event also presents us the opportunity to bond together, enjoy the richness of our culture, while appreciating our partners and collaborators whose contributions have been invaluable to our progress.”
Subbaraidu also appreciated the support of the Ogun State Government, customers, vendors and other stakeholders for their cooperation with the Ibese Plant.
Reeling out the 2025 Social Investment Scorecard, the Head of Social Performance, Mr Ademola Ojolowo, disclosed that the plant had completed 13 developmental projects in the year, with 10 others currently ongoing and expected to be completed before the end of the year.
According to him, the projects span skill acquisition and empowerment programmes, women empowerment schemes, farmer support initiatives and health sensitisation programmes, as well as construction of public infrastructure and installation of solar inverter systems.
“The social investment scorecard reflects steady progress and service delivery in empowerment, education, health and infrastructure projects,” Ojolowo said.
“As a responsible corporate organisation in mining and manufacturing, we commit under the Community Development Agreement to complement government developmental efforts through delivery of social and economic benefits to our community stakeholders.
“We remain committed to enhancing project efficiency, ensuring sustainability and fostering strong partnerships with communities and government stakeholders as we enter the next phase of our community development efforts,” he added.
As part of the education support, Dangote Cement announced a N15,720,000 scholarship award for 120 students drawn from its 17 host communities. The beneficiaries include 100 undergraduates and 20 pupils from primary and secondary schools.
In addition, 25 youths received new laptops under the company’s digital training and ICT empowerment programme, while 60 women were empowered with corn milling machines to boost their economic activities.
In his goodwill message, the Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide, commended the management of Dangote Cement, Ibese Plant, for what he described as “steady support and commitment to community development” in Ibese and surrounding communities.
However, Elemide urged the company to do more to make the environment of its host communities more conducive for living, while also raising concerns about safety.
“I appreciate Dangote Cement for its community social responsibilities, but there is a need to address issues such as indiscriminate parking by some of the company’s truck drivers on major roads in the area,” he said.
“This should be tackled swiftly to prevent accidents and ease movement.”
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Community Development, Hon. Ademola Balogun, the Chairman of Yewa North Local Government, Dr Olusola Akinbode, and the Aboro of Ibeseland, Oba Rotimi Mulero, urged beneficiaries of the empowerment programmes to make good use of the opportunity for their economic upliftment.
They also challenged the company to sustain and expand its investments in infrastructure across the host communities.
Oba Mulero thanked the cement company for creating job opportunities for indigenes but appealed for better placement of qualified community members.
“We appreciate Dangote Cement for creating jobs for our people,” the monarch said.
“However, we urge the management to place deserving members of the host community in more suitable job descriptions in line with their qualifications.”
Speaking on behalf of the women, the Women Leader of Ijako-Orile, Princess Sherifat Akintunde, expressed gratitude to the company for empowering women with milling machines.
“Before now, women in this area struggled to grind their farm produce to make ends meet,” she said. “This empowerment will go a long way in improving our livelihoods.”
She commended Dangote Cement for what she described as “massive development” brought to Ibese and neighbouring communities.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of laptops and other gadgets to beneficiaries of the Dangote ICT empowerment programme, amid cultural displays and interactions between the company and community stakeholders.
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