Business
Dangote Halts Steel Investments to Avoid Monopoly Accusations
Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group, has announced that his company will be halting its investments in Nigeria’s steel industry. This decision comes in response to concerns about potential monopoly practices.
Dangote revealed this shift during a recent press conference, amidst ongoing disputes with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The NMDPRA’s Chief Executive Officer, Farouk Ahmed, had previously raised concerns about Nigeria’s reliance on the Dangote Refinery for petroleum products, suggesting that it posed a monopoly risk. Ahmed also criticized the quality of petroleum products from both the Dangote Refinery and other local refineries.
In light of these issues, Dangote explained that the board of his company has chosen to withdraw from the steel sector to avoid further accusations of monopolistic behavior, similar to those currently directed at their operations in the petroleum industry. He noted that by stepping back from the steel business, the company hopes to prevent the same criticisms and encourage competition.
“Own board has decided that we shouldn’t do the steel because if we do the steel business, we will be called all sorts of names like monopoly. And then also, imports will be encouraged. So we don’t want to go into that.
“Let other Nigerians go and do it. We are not the only Nigerians here. There are some Nigerians with more cash than us. They should bring that money from Dubai and other parts of the world and invest in our fatherland,” he said
Dangote further emphasized that there are other wealthy Nigerians who could invest in the steel industry. He suggested that those with substantial resources, potentially even from abroad, should step in and invest in Nigeria’s steel sector.
Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development, has revealed the government’s intention of placing women in the livestock transformation agenda that they have in store for Nigeria.
During a recent event, he praised women, describing them as the backbone of the country, and shared that the country will keep on needing their support, hence the inclusion of the agenda team.
He also praised the First Lady for the impact she has made in the country so far and her advocacy for women’s empowerment.
Nigerians react as a user claims and shares that the price of rice in Nigeria is already reducing.
“Rice prices are finally dropping, minimum wage can buy a bag now. Step by step, we’re getting there. Nigeria will work in our lifetime.”
It can be noted that rice was sold at ₦85k to ₦90k, however, according to a market survey, the price of rice has dropped to ₦56k to ₦62k.
Nigerians now have a new choice when it comes to making calls and browsing the internet. A new telecom company called LEBARA has launched in the country with a new idea. Instead of the usual airtime system that most networks use, this company is offering something different, subscribers will now buy call minutes and data directly.
What makes this different is that customers will only pay for what they actually use. If you buy 100 minutes, those minutes are yours until you use them up. If you make a call that lasts only 30 seconds, the rest of your time remains, leaving you with 99 minutes and 30 seconds. Nothing is taken away without your knowledge, and every second is accounted for.
The company is rolling out its services with the new 0724 number series, and it already has connections with all the major networks in Nigeria. This means subscribers will be able to call friends, family, and business contacts across MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile and others without any problems. They have also been licensed as a Tier 5 Mobile Virtual Network Operator, which is the highest category approved by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).
Company officials explained that the goal is to give Nigerians more freedom, fairness, and transparency. For years, people have raised concerns about airtime being deducted too quickly or without clear explanation. By introducing a minutes-based model, the new operator wants to end that problem once and for all. Subscribers can clearly see what they paid for, how much they have used, and what is left.
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