Dangote bags engineering awards, pledges to boost sector

The Dangote Group has bagged three awards in recognition of its outstanding contributions to the development of the engineering profession in the country.

The company said this in a statement by Mr Anthony Chiejina, Group Head, Corporate Communications, Dangote Industries Ltd., in Lagos on Tuesday.

The statement said the awards were given by the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) during its Ikeja Branch’s dinner and awards ceremony with the theme: “Integrated engineering development as a catalyst for homegrown industrial revolution.”

It was reported that Dangote Industries Ltd. bagged the ‘Outstanding Engineering Organisation of the year’ award.

The President/Chief Executive of Dangote Industries, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects & Portfolio Development, Mr Devakumar Edwin, were both honoured with Outstanding Engineering Personality awards.

Other awardees include; Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, John Holt Plc, Kenol Nigeria Ltd. and Pilot Science Company Ltd., among others.

Edwin, expressing the company’s delight at the recognition and awards, pledged its commitment to the development of engineering in Nigeria.

He said the company had over the years invested in the training and development of young engineers who had acquired sufficient knowledge and had gone ahead to take up the responsibilities of managing Dangote Cement plants across Africa.

“We have grown and developed people and have not only developed them to work here in Nigeria; we have also started exporting them to Dangote Cement plants across Africa as expatriates.

“Therefore, we pay attention to skill development of engineers and it is working for us.

“When I was selecting the equipment for the construction of plants in Nigeria, a company in Germany wondered why I have to select such sophisticated equipment to establish a plant in Africa,” said Edwin.

He said he decided to choose sophisticated and ultra-modern technology because he believed that Nigerian engineers, if given the necessary training and exposure, could compete with their counterparts in other parts of the world.

“Dangote has most of the technologically advanced plants in the world and no plant in Europe can claim to have more technology than what we have in all our plants and these plants are being managed by Nigerians,” he added.

He commended NSE Ikeja Branch for focusing on training and development of young engineers, which he said, would help prepare them to take up higher challenge in their profession.

The Chairman, Ikeja Branch, NSE, Mr Olutosin Ogunmola said the association decided to honour Dangote Industries for contributing significantly to the engineering profession.

He stated that the association was established to promote, protect, encourage and maintain a high standard of engineering study and practice and to encourage greater efficiency therein.

According to him, the Society’s objective is to promote the advancement of engineering education, research, and practice in all its ramifications.

“Naturally, this is with a view to maintaining and enhancing the professional capabilities of our members so as to better equip them to fulfill the needs of the profession for the good of the public and the nation of large,” he added.