Image credits: Online Nigeria
                       

In 2016 Africa`s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote made history by importing more than 1,015 heavy duty trucks at once through the Mtawara Port in Tanzania.  A few weeks into 2017 Dangote is at it again after embarking on a multi-million dollar vehicle assembly plant project in Nigeria which is expected to create more than 300 jobs.

The project is a joint venture between Dangote and National Heavy Duty Group Company Limited, SINOTRUCK. The plant is expected to produce more than 11 000 heavy duty trucks which will be distributed throughout Africa. Chief Corporate Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Mr. Anthony Chiejina confirmed that the project has taken off and that when fully operational, the nation would be spared from spending huge amounts of forex spent from importing heavy duty vehicles

African countries can also learn from what Africa`s leading industrialist has managed to accomplish. Most African countries import cars from outside Africa which churns out a lot of money at the same time creating and exporting jobs to other continents. By virtue of bringing big companies from other continents to do their operations in Africa, with Africans being employed, Dangote has managed to import jobs into Africa.

Aliko Dangote was at some point quoted saying, “when we continue to import as a continent, we`re actually exporting jobs and importing poverty” and the business mogul seems to be working against the syndrome of importing and over reliance on other continents to supply Africa with finished goods which is much more expensive than producing it here on the continent.

The move by Dangote to start a vehicle assembly plant in his own country will go a long way in addressing the unemployment issue that has been plaguing Africa as the plant is expected to create jobs and if the project is successful and expands into other parts of Africa more jobs will continue to be created.

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