Nigeria’s Dangote Group has seen rapid expansion across the continent and has received yet another commendation, this time by the Ethiopian government, after the establishment of a new cement plant in the East African country.

The commendation, conveyed through a letter, acclaimed the effort of the President of the conglomerate, Aliko Dangote and promised to provide the enabling atmosphere for the success of the venture.

Dangote Cement had launched a 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum plant in Mugher, Adaberga District in Ethiopia with a pledge by the company to ensure that it was completed on schedule.

State Minister of Industry Tadesse Haile said “we are proud to showcase the project to prospective investors as an attestation of successful foreign investment in Nigeria. It is commendable that the project is transforming the region and has generated employment opportunities to a large section of the local population”, he said.

Haile added that the commencement of the construction of the plant opened a new window in the country’s quest for foreign investment, and that the new plant signalled the beginning of a new business relationship between Nigeria and his country.

Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has pledged to spend up to $15 billion pursuing investment opportunities around the continent in the next 4-5 years.

He earlier revealed that his company has invested approximately $8 billion in an oil refinery and another $2 billion in fertilizer in Nigeria alone, aside other billion dollar investments outside the country.

According to him, all these are “just to try and drag people who really don’t understand Africa,” and “show them that doing business in Africa is not as bad as what people portray it to be” he said.

One of his group subsidiaries, Dangote Cement is Nigeria’s leading cement producer with three plants in Nigeria and plans to expand in 13 other African countries.

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