He also said that the investment in the truck assembly plant will add value to the Nigerian economy and reduce imports.
Dangote made this known during the commissioning of the Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited plant in Lagos.
He commended the Federal Government’s plans to complete the Ajaokuta Steel company, which he said, would help to increase local content of their vehicles.
“We have welding and painting shops to fabricate and paint trucks and trailers of different types so as to enhance local content of CKD operations of commercial vehicles manufacturing in Nigeria.
“In the next 12 months, we will begin to fabricate different types of trailers and tippers in our plant to increase value addition of up to 40 to 60 per cent with the goal to achieve domestic self-sufficiency and serve the West Africa regional market,” he added.
He explained that the company would assemble and produce four lines of commercial vehicles, which include heavy duty, medium and light trucks, as well as semi trailers for local transportation.
“As you are aware, Dangote also owns majority shares of Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria in Kaduna, where we assemble small vehicles.
“We are a joint venture company with a total investment of 100 million dollars formed for the truck assembly which is owned 60 per cent by Dangote industries, 30 percent by Sinotruck China and five per cent by Andas.
“Our aim is to meet the expected current demand of this segment of automobiles required for logistics, consumption, food, and beverages industry in Nigeria as government focuses on economic development across the country.
“I am sure we are going to participate in the new production of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) which this government is driving.
“But, we in Dangote, are actually committed to buying 10,000 of the CNG trucks of which 1,500 are arriving this June/July.
“Already, about 500 are at the port. So this company has actually the installed capacity to assemble and produce 10,000 trucks annually and create about 3,000 jobs across Nigeria,” Dangote said.
According to him, Dangote Sinotruk is playing “a strategic and key role” in the manufacturing industry in Nigeria, providing employment opportunities for Nigerians in addition to improving local auto industry.
His words: “We will continue to invest in the plant and achieve technological advancement for Nigeria.
“We will also continue to promote Nigeria’s economic development, “ he assured.
In his remarks, Senate President Godswill Akpabio lauded the Dangote Group’s investments within and outside Nigeria, which are providing employment for thousands of people.
“I know as you are investing here in Nigeria, you are doing the same thing in other countries, particularly in Africa.
“You are there in Kenya, Togo, Malawi, Senegal, Ethiopia and so many other countries.
“You are our own brand and our export to the rest of the world. May God continue to prosper you,” he added.
Meanwhile, Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has placed order for 200 of the company’s Howo trucks.
“Our role should be that of an enabler; ours should be a government that must ensure that the private sector has what it takes to make those investments.
“Like I mentioned, we have seen the benefits of what they are doing here. To us we have procured from them the orange trucks (for refuse management) that you are seeing on the roads in Lagos.
“They were all manufactured and put together in this same premises.
“We are making another order of 100 trucks because they are reliable. We don’t need to go very far.
“Honesty, it is really about partnership and sense of purpose. And the fact that as a people, we need to develop our economic environment better than we met it.
“I believe that Dangote Group of Companies has a good local and African business that we must be proud of.”
