Dangote Acquires 10,000-Truck Fleet, Pledges 24,000 Jobs and Dismisses Monopoly Claims
Dangote Acquires 10,000-Truck Fleet, Pledges 24,000 Jobs and Dismisses Monopoly Claims
Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, has announced that the conglomerate has acquired a fleet of 10,000 trucks, comprising 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel tankers and 6,000 dry cargo trucks.
Dangote made the disclosure in a session aired by Channels Television on Tuesday while responding to concerns raised by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) regarding the company’s trucking expansion.
He explained that the move was part of efforts to modernize logistics, improve efficiency, and counter claims that the expansion could lead to widespread job losses.
> “Gentlemen of the press, our company not only bought 4,000 CNG trucks. We bought 10,000: 4,000 tankers, 6,000 dry cargo. Because there are some that carry our coal, some that carry other things. We have them in various places. What we are trying to do is modernize this,” Dangote said.
According to him, about 4,000 trucks have already been deployed, while the remaining units will be delivered in phases. He revealed that shipments are arriving daily, with the full fleet expected to be operational before the end of November.
Job Creation and Welfare
Addressing NUPENG’s concerns about job losses, Dangote stressed that the initiative would, in fact, generate new employment opportunities. He explained that each truck requires at least six workers, which means the 4,000 CNG tankers alone would create about 24,000 jobs across driving, logistics, and maintenance.
He also highlighted the company’s driver welfare package, stating that drivers earn nearly four times the national minimum wage. Those who maintain accident-free records for five years, he added, qualify to apply for housing loans.
Not a Monopoly
Dangote dismissed suggestions that the expansion was designed to edge out other operators in the transport and logistics space.
According to him, Dangote Cement trucks currently cover only about 60% of the company’s cargo needs. The acquisition of more trucks, he said, was meant to fill supply gaps and address shortages of reliable vehicles rather than monopolize the market.
