DANGOTE Cement Plc has absorbed close to 200 newly trained engineers and professionals into its workforce after they successfully completed the company’s Graduate Trainee Programme, reinforcing its commitment to employment generation, skills transfer and local capacity development in Nigeria.

The new employees, drawn from engineering, finance, IT and other fields, were formally inducted over the weekend following an intensive 18-month training programme. The scheme combined classroom learning with hands-on industry exposure and was conducted at the Dangote Academy, the company’s four plants in Nigeria, and its head office. The programme is structured to prepare high-potential graduates for leadership roles through cross-functional training, executive mentoring, and practical project assignments.

Throughout the programme, the trainees were posted to different plants and operational units where they gained real-world experience under the guidance of experienced professionals. Dangote Cement disclosed that many of the graduates had already been deployed across its Nigerian operations and in other African subsidiaries.

According to the company, the induction of the new engineers underscored its long-term focus on creating sustainable jobs and strengthening indigenous technical capacity within its operations.

At the same event, Dangote Cement also recognised outstanding employees with Long Service Awards and Hall of Fame Employee Awards for their dedication and alignment with the company’s core values of customer focus, entrepreneurship, excellence and leadership. Beneficiaries, who received significant cash rewards, had each served the organisation for at least five years.

Speaking at the ceremony in Lagos, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Arvind Pathak, said the gathering was organised to celebrate staff who had contributed meaningfully to the company’s growth.

“We are recognising our long-serving employees and also celebrating our graduate trainees who are completing their induction into the organisation,” Mr Pathak said.

He praised staff for their perseverance despite current economic challenges, adding that the company recorded a strong performance in 2025 even in a tough business environment.

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“Despite the economic turbulence, your resilience and tenacity enabled us to overcome numerous challenges and achieve our objectives. Your commitment and high performance have helped us retain our leadership position in the cement industry, not just in Nigeria but across Africa,” he stated.

Mr Pathak further disclosed that Dangote Cement remained Africa’s largest cement producer and was working towards a production capacity of 90 million metric tonnes (MMT) per annum by 2030.

“Through our collective efforts, Nigeria is no longer dependent on imported cement and has become a net exporter to several neighbouring countries,” he added.

Also speaking, the Acting Group Human Resources Officer, Mr. Ahmed Ladan Gobir, described the Graduate Trainee Programme as a deliberate strategy to equip young engineers with world-class skills and deep industry exposure.

“Nigeria’s greatest asset is its youth, and at Dangote Cement we are intentional about empowering them with the right skills and opportunities,” Gobir said. “Our Graduate Trainee Programme provides young professionals with a platform to build rewarding careers, contribute to national development and grow into future African industrial leaders.”

In recognising four exceptional trainees, Programme Coordinator, Mr. Iyal H. Abdulkareem, said the awardees displayed outstanding practical competence during the programme.

He explained that their contributions ranged from improving reporting and customer administration systems to carrying out critical technical tasks such as raw and cement mill main drive alignments, preheater fan dynamic balancing, and developing templates for tracking key plant performance indicators.

The four engineers — Engr. Mary Nnana, Engr. Ahmad Sunusi Abdullahi, Engr. Ahmed Rufai Ahmed, and Engr. Ebenezer Afonja — were also actively involved in the installation and commissioning of MIS servers at the Obajana Plant and supported the deployment of cement mill optimisation systems at the Obajana and Okpella plants.