Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, says Nigeria has shed its standing as one of many world’s largest cement importers and now leads the continent in cement exports — proof, he stated, that the nation may also reach reworking its healthcare sector.
Talking on Wednesday on the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers occasion in Lagos, the President of Dangote Group stated Nigeria’s reversal of its dependence on imports in key sectors like cement, fertiliser, and petroleum merchandise ought to function a blueprint for healthcare reform.
“Let me begin with well being,” Dangote stated throughout a panel session with Invoice Gates.
“By means of our personal partnership with Invoice, we now have really ended polio. We’ve additionally carried out lots in vitamin. That’s a part of our partnership.
“When it comes to enterprise, Nigeria was once the second largest importer of cement on the earth. We’ve reversed that — we now export extra cement than every other African nation.”
Dangote highlighted comparable progress in fertiliser manufacturing, saying the nation now homes the world’s second-largest fertiliser plant, constructed from scratch.
“Our farmers used to endure because of lack of fertiliser,” he stated.
“At the moment, not solely have we solved that downside, however Nigeria now exports 37% of its fertiliser manufacturing to the USA.”
On petrochemicals, Dangote stated his refinery has additionally addressed Nigeria’s historic reliance on petroleum product imports.
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“Nigeria used to import 350,000 tonnes of polypropylene. That downside is now solved. We won’t solely meet native demand but in addition export 600,000 tonnes throughout Africa,” he stated.
He described his $20 billion Dangote Refinery as the most important single-train refinery on the earth.
“In Could alone, we exported 400,000 metric tonnes of petrol,” Dangote revealed. “Nigeria used to import 100% of its petrol. Not anymore.”
Trying forward, Dangote known as for the same revolution within the well being sector, warning that Nigeria’s heavy reliance on international healthcare is unsustainable.
“We should start to supply our personal medication and put money into world-class native healthcare,” he stated.
“We have to cease flying overseas for therapy. We’ve carried out it in cement, fertiliser, and petrol — we are able to do it in well being.”
The Goalkeepers occasion is an initiative of the Invoice and Melinda Gates Foundation geared toward accelerating progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Growth Targets (SDGs).
