Aliko Dangote, chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, claims that the devaluation of naira created the biggest mess for his company in 2023.

Dangote made this known on Tuesday during the annual general meeting of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc.

Dangote claims that the business is working hard to make sure that dividends are paid out this year.

He claimed that many businesses were also impacted and would not be able to pay dividends, particularly those in the food and beverage industries.

“We are doing whatever it takes to make sure that at the end of the day, we will be paying dividends because if you look at our dividends last year, it was almost 50 percent more so we will try and get out of the mess,” Dangote said.

“The biggest mess created was actually the devaluation of the naira from N460 to N1,400.

“You can see almost 97 percent of the companies, especially in food and beverages businesses, none of them will pay dividends this year for sure but, we will try and get out of it as soon as possible.

“We want to see that at the end of the day, no matter how small, we will be able to pay some dividends, especially if there is a rebound of the naira.”

• ‘We’ll Reapply For Merger Of Dangote Sugar With Nascon’

Speaking on the suspension of the planned merger of Dangote Sugar Refinery with Nascon Allied Industries Plc and Dangote Rice Limited, the chairman said it was put on hold because the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) wanted the rice factory to begin.

Dangote said the rice factory in Jigawa is expected to be commissioned soon, adding that Dangote Sugar will reapply for the merger when the time is right.

On April 19, Nascon announced the suspension of its proposed merger with Dangote Sugar.

Nascon said the merger was not completed due to the current non-operational status of Dangote Rice.

• Dangote Sugar To End Sugar Importation In 2028

Dangote said the company’s sugar master plan will enable the producer to sell only locally produced sugar in the next four years.

According to the chairman, the implementation of the backward integration policy will give the company the best future in terms of stability and prevent issues relating to exchange rate losses.

“The sugar master plan we are now taking is very, very serious,” he said.

“But to say the least, the industry as a whole, did not really push as we are supposed to push in terms of the backward integration.

“We have done a lot, but we also have our fears because if there is no proper implementation, we do not want to go and sink a lot of your money and we end up losing money because if government is not following or making sure that everybody behaves, then we will not be able to make money. But right now, I think they have called us.

“We have sat down and I can assure you on our own, we think the best future of this company is through the backward integration.

“Because backward integration will actually give you much more forfeit and stability and it will erase all these exchange rate losses.

“So, by the grace of God, in the next four years maximum, our company should be producing what we are selling currently, all domestic, 100 percent domestic.”

However, Dangote said if any sugar is imported by the company, it will only be to complement what it is producing.

The Port Harcourt-Aba train service, spanning 62 kilometres, has been launched by the federal government.

To promote and increase the use of the rail service, FG also announced a 4-day free train ride from May 1-4.

It is anticipated that commercial services will begin on May 7.

Transportation is one of President Bola Tinubu’s eight top priorities, according to a statement released by the federal ministry of transportation on Tuesday. As a result, the minister has directed his attention on the eastern rail corridor project since entering office.

Alkali said the commencement of the train service is part of the intensified drive by FG to facilitate trade, enhance mobility, and accessibility, as well as ensure connectivity between regions.

“With the completion of the rehabilitation of the Port-Harcourt to Aba rail corridor, the Ministry will continue to vigorously drive the contractor Messrs CCECC towards the speedy completion and delivery of the 181 kilometres Aba-Enugu stretch,” Alkali said.

“The fare for the Port-Harcourt to Aba train service has been pegged at #1000 for VIP & #800 for economy class.”

Fidet Okhiria, the managing director of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), said the locomotives and coaches used for the flag-off are refurbished ones.

Okhiria said the contractor is expected to deliver 50 narrow gauge locomotives and 100 narrow gauge coaches to be deployed along existing train corridors in the country.

On March 2, FG said the train services would commence by the end of March.

However, on March 29, the launch was postponed to April.

The rail line is a section of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railroad project initiated by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero says the federal government’s announcement of a pay rise for civil servants is mischievous.

The federal government, on Tuesday, approved a pay rise of between 25 and 35 percent for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures.

Ajaero, speaking on Wednesday during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, said the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on April 18.

“We should be in the regime of new minimum wage as of today. Discussions were supposed to have been concluded,” Ajaero said.

“The federal government through the national assembly legislated on it. But we saw that the discussion entered voice mail because the federal government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

“I think the announcement now appears mischievous because there is no wage increase that government is announcing. For them to announce it now, it is an issue that we are worried about at the NLC and even at the TUC.”

• Breakdown Of Living Wage

Ajaero further said organised labour has agreed on N615,000 as the living wage for civil servants.

“Living wage is such that will, at least keep you alive. It is not a wage that will make you poor and poorer. It is not a wage that will make you borrow to go to work. It is not a wage that will lead you to be in the hospital everyday because of malnutrition. For that living wage, we have tried to look at N615, 000,” he added.

“Let me give you a breakdown of how we arrived at that figure. We have housing and accommodation of N40,000. We asked for electricity of N20,000 — of course that was before the current tariff increase. Nobody can spend this amount currently. We have utility that is about N10,000. We looked at kerosene and gas that is about N25,000 to N35,000.

“We looked at food for a family of six, that is about N9,000 in a day. For 30 days, that is about N270,000. Look at medical, N50,000 provided there will be no surgery or whatever.

“For clothing, we looked at N20,000. For education, N50,000. I don’t know for those who tried to put their children in private school, they will not be able to cope with this amount. We also have sanitation of N10,000.

“I think where we have another bulk of the money is transportation. This is because the workers stay in the fringes and because of the cost of PMS, that amounted to N110,000.

“That brought the whole living wage to N615,000 and I want anyone to subject this to further investigation and find out whether there will be any savings when you pay somebody on this rate.”