Headlines
Dangote bags Second NECA’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Dangote bags Second NECA’s Lifetime Achievement Award
…as Dangote Cement wins in Chemical & Non-Metallic products sector
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
For the second consecutive year, Aliko Dangote, Africa’s foremost entrepreneur and humanist, was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award and accorded special recognition by the Organised Private Sector employers in the country, under the aegis of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA).
KANO FOCUS reports that in a night of honour and reward for deserving member organisations, Dangote Group, the Pan-African conglomerate emerged top carting away the award in the ‘Resilience and Sustainable Growth’ category, while its subsidiary, Dangote Cement PLC was named the “Best Company in the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Sector” during the 2022 Employers Annual Excellence Award held at the Eko Hotel in Lagos.
The Dangote Group also got a special Plaque as one of the sponsors of the 3rd edition of the NECA 2022 Annual Employers’ Excellence Award. The Dangote Group had won an award as the best company in the Chemical and Non-Metallic Products sector in the 2021 edition.
Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, former Chairman of Nestle Nigeria Plc. was the second personality given special recognition and honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the well-attended event.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was received on the Dangote Group President’s behalf by a top management team led by the Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development & Capital Projects, Mr. Devakumar Edwin; the Group Chief Human Resources Officer, Nglan Niat, and Director, Human Assets Management, Dangote Projects, Mr. Fola Ali. The other awards were also received by Mr. Edwin and Mrs. Adeola Oyetan, Head, Talent Management of Dangote Cement Plc.
Speaking while presenting Aliko Dangote’s Lifetime Achievement Award to the Dangote team at the high-brow event, former President of NECA and industrialist, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa said the citation of the business tycoon which was read out to the warm applause of the participants “was only to fulfil all righteousness, as the name of Dangote looms larger than life for his exemplary works.”
He added, “I am proud that a lot of employers are here tonight. This is a great opportunity to catch up and build new networks. We need a lot of investments that would create more jobs and reduce poverty.”
Ohuabunwa, who also presented the Award for ‘Resilience and Sustainable Production’ said, “If you sow sparingly, you will reap sparingly. But if you sow bountifully, you will reap bountifully. The last award (Lifetime Achievement) was to Aliko Dangote, but this one (Resilience & Sustainable Production Award) is to the Dangote Group that has shown resilience and sustainable growth for others to emulate. They are setting the trend in sustainable growth.”
In his remarks after receiving the awards, Mr. Edwin, described NECA as an organisation that promotes leadership, good governance, innovation, productivity and corporate performance, and “therefore Mr. Dangote cherishes the award coming from a quarter like NECA.”
According to him: “NECA continues to remain a partner in progress, rewarding deserving companies for their contribution to national development. The Dangote Group will continue to contribute its quota to nation building and promote responsible business all sectors we operate.”
Also speaking, NECA President, Mr. Taiwo Adeniyi, explained that this year’s edition of the NECA Annual Employers’ Excellence Award, the third in the series, was to reward organisations that have forged on despite the challenges in Nigeria’s business environment and the economy, which was reflected in the event theme ‘Against All Odds’.
Adeniyi said the Employers Excellence Awards were meant to reward and encourage best practices in Corporate Performance, People Management and Industrial Relations practices amongst employers in Nigeria. He said the 2022 NECA Annual Employers’ Excellence Awards are to celebrate persistence and resilience, and added that, “In the quest for enterprise competitiveness and sustainable production, we are all winners.”
Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, who was represented by Mr. M. Yusuf, an official of the Labour Minstry, congratulated the employers’ body and its leadership for organising the event to recognise that have displayed resilience despite the challenges facing in the private sector.
Other winners in various categories include Nigeria Bottling Company in the Food & Beverages Non-Alcoholic Sector; MTN in the Telecommunications and Allied Services category; TGI Group in the Agro & Agro Allied Services category; Nestle in the Food and Beverages and Workplace Innovation and Peoplecentric Creativity categories; Julius Berger in the Construction and Construction Services sector; NLNG in the Petroleum and Natural Gas sector.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Executive Council, chaired by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved a comprehensive package of developmental projects and interventions valued at over ₦69 billion, targeting critical sectors including infrastructure, education, healthcare, energy, and humanitarian support.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Thursday.
During its 29th meeting held on Wednesday, July 9th 2025, the Council granted landmark approvals aimed at improving service delivery and raising the living standard of citizens.
Among the biggest investments is the expansion of Katsina Road, covering the stretch from Baban Gwari Roundabout to Mil Tara, which includes the construction of five reinforced concrete pedestrian bridges at a cost of ₦24.7 billion.
Additionally, the Council approved the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of RMK Flyover, IBB Road, Kofar Mazugal Junction, and Katsina Road with a budget of ₦7.8 billion, and the construction of 10 new concrete pedestrian bridges at strategic locations, valued at ₦3.8 billion.
In the education sector, approvals include the renovation of 13 closed boarding schools earlier shut down by the previous administration at ₦3 billion.
The Council also approved general renovation of dilapidated structures in Government Technical College Dambatta, Government Technical College Ungogo, Government Girls Secondary School Balan Tsanyawa, and Government Secondary School Guringawa, totaling over ₦1.2 billion.
Other approvals include the establishment of a new primary school in Gishiri-Wuya community, Warawa LGA, at ₦190 million, renovation of the French and Chinese Bilingual Colleges in Kwankwaso at ₦158 million and ₦349 million, respectively, the conduct of 2025 internal examinations (BECE/BEICE & SSQE/SAISQE) at ₦300 million, and the settlement of outstanding boarding school feeding liabilities for three weeks at ₦718 million.
The health sector interventions approved by the Council include counterpart funding of ₦180 million for the Free Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health programme, ₦240 million for the procurement of a brand-new Toyota Coaster bus for the School of Health Technology, Bebeji, ₦107 million for operational needs of the Kano Ultra-Modern Specialist Hospital (KUSH), and ₦344 million as counterpart funding for routine immunization for the second quarter of 2025.
The Governor, during the session, reiterated his administration’s resolve to turn Kano into a hub of modern infrastructure, inclusive development, and educational excellence.
The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project has increased the annual Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) from N20,000 to N60,000 per beneficiary as part of renewed efforts to enhance girls’ education in Kano State.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was revealed during a sensitization campaign on the CCT program held in Gwarmai town, Bebeji Local Government Area.
Speaking at the event, the National CCT Coordinator of the AGILE project, Dr. Kubrah Muhammad, emphasised the importance of utilising the funds effectively to support and improve girls’ access to quality education.
Dr. Kubrah Muhammad,
Dr Muhammad urged parents, students, and other stakeholders to spread the message and ensure the sensitisation efforts are cascaded across communities for wider impact.
Also speaking, the Kano State AGILE CCT Component Lead, Malam Naziru Surajo, disclosed that a total of 45,850 students have so far been enrolled under the initiative in the state.
He noted that Bebeji LGA is one of the 19 participating local governments in Kano, with 4,984 girls currently benefiting from the program.
Malam Surajo highlighted that since the introduction of the CCT, girls’ school enrollment has seen significant improvement, rising by 31% overall, with 35% at the junior secondary level and 27% at the senior secondary level.
Malam Naziru Surajo
He further explained that the cash transfer comes with key conditions, including maintaining a minimum of 70% school attendance, which must be sustained for continued eligibility.
The District Head of Bebeji, who doubles as ‘Yan Dakan Kano, Alhaji Sarki Yusuf Bayero, emphasized the need for men to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, particularly in the context of supporting girls’ education.
He reiterated that the funds are meant for the students’ educational welfare, but should be managed wisely by parents.
Alhaji Sarki Yusuf Bayero (Yan Dakan Kano)
He cautioned that the CCT should not become a source of conflict within families, stressing that either parent can responsibly utilize the funds, provided they are used for the intended purpose of promoting education
“The most important thing is for parents to inculcate good moral values on their children to make them useful to society.”
Some parents of beneficiaries, Malam Abdu Gwarmai and Haulatu Musa, asked questions related to the CCT.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim ANIPR,
Communication Officer,
AGILE Project, Kano.
Headlines
Gov Yusuf Clears N22 Billion from N48 Billion Backlog of Retirees’ Gratuities and Death Benefits
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
In a determined push to restore dignity to pensioners and families of deceased workers, Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has so far settled ₦22 billion out of the inherited ₦48 billion backlog of unpaid retirees’ gratuities and death benefits.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Governor’s bold intervention comes as he approved the fourth tranche of payments, amounting to ₦6 billion, bringing relief to hundreds of retirees and next-of-kin who have awaited their entitlements for years.
Governor Yusuf had earlier disbursed ₦5 billion in the first tranche, followed by ₦6 billion each in the second and third tranches, demonstrating a sustained commitment to offsetting the massive debt left by the previous administration.
A statement from the Government spokesperson Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa described the payments as part of the Governor’s broader agenda to address long-standing liabilities and reposition Kano State as a model of responsible governance.
“Governor Yusuf remains resolute in his pledge to pay every kobo owed to our retirees and the families of our late civil servants,” the statement read.
The settlement of these outstanding gratuities and death benefits not only alleviates the hardship faced by affected families but also reaffirms the administration’s promise to restore trust in government and uphold social justice.
Governor Yusuf further assured that the remaining balance will be cleared in subsequent tranches, ensuring that no pensioner or bereaved family is left behind.
This unprecedented intervention reflects the Governor’s people-centered governance, bringing hope to thousands whose sacrifices built the foundations of Kano State.
Kano Govt approves over ₦69b on transform infrastructure, education
AGILE Project increases girls’ education grant to N60,000 in Kano
Gov Yusuf Clears N22 Billion from N48 Billion Backlog of Retirees’ Gratuities and Death Benefits
Kano Governor Appoints New Chief of Staff, DG Special Services
MNCNH champions empowered to reduce maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhage
NDLEA Kano uses Dambe to combat drug abuse
Kano Govt declares Thursday public holiday for Islamic new year
Mangal spends N80m to sponsor urology surgery for 3,000 vulnerable
Stakeholders converge in Kano, advocate local government reforms
