The Historica Nigeria

2025

Business, National, News

Dangote Cement Gets New Chairman as Aliko Dangote Retires

Aliko Dangote has stepped down as Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, the company he founded and transformed into Africa’s largest cement producer. The announcement was made in a statement issued on Friday by Anthony Chiejina, the Group’s Chief Branding and Communications Officer, who said the decision would allow Dangote to focus more on the refinery, petrochemicals, fertiliser, and government relations arms of the Dangote Group. “Foremost entrepreneur and founder of Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote, has announced his retirement as a Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective July 25, 2025,” Chiejina said. Read Also: Imo Government Bans Open Grazing in State Capital from July 24 Following his exit, the company appointed Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, an independent non-executive director, as the new Chairman. The Board also announced the appointment of Hajiya Mariya Aliko Dangote as a new member, while Prof. Dorothy Ufot, another independent non-executive director, has retired. Chiejina highlighted that Dangote’s journey in the cement business began with the vision to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in cement production. That vision has now materialised with the company boasting a total production capacity of 52 million metric tonnes annually—35.25 million tonnes from Nigeria alone. New plants in Côte d’Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0Mta) are projected to raise the group’s total capacity to 61.0Mta. He also noted that under Dangote’s leadership, Dangote Cement recorded the highest revenue and EBITDA in the company’s history. According to its unaudited financial report for the first half of 2025, group revenue rose by 17.7 percent to ₦2.07 trillion, up from ₦1.76 trillion during the same period last year. EBITDA surged by 41.8 percent to ₦944.9 billion, profit before tax increased by 149 percent to ₦730 billion, while profit after tax climbed by 174.1 percent to ₦520.5 billion. The company also recorded an 18.2 percent increase in cement exports from Nigeria, with 18 clinker shipments sent to Ghana and Cameroon. “Aliko Dangote’s legacy will be counted in the millions of jobs created, the infrastructure built, and the confidence restored in African industrial potential,” Chiejina added, noting that the Dangote Group paid over ₦402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it Nigeria’s highest taxpayer. In his acceptance speech, Ikazoboh described his appointment as an honour and pledged to uphold “the highest standards of leadership and dedication.” He outlined his priorities, which include implementing robust cost-reduction strategies and adopting alternative fuels and technologies to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Ikazoboh previously served as Group Chairman of Ecobank Transnational Inc. and began his career at Akintola Williams Deloitte. In 2010, he was appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to lead reforms at the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Central Securities Clearing System.

News

Allegations of Workplace Harassment Rock BBC Hausa, Prompting Calls for Investigation

The BBC Hausa Service has come under fire following serious allegations of workplace harassment and bullying, with former staff led by veteran journalist Halima Umar Saleh, speaking out about toxic conditions within the organization. Halima, who now serves as Senior Digital Editor at TRT Afrika, shared her ordeal during a recent interview with AREWA24, revealing that she suffered sustained harassment from a male colleague during her nearly ten-year tenure at BBC Hausa. Describing the experience as one of the most painful periods of her professional career, Halima recounted and said “there was someone who seemed to hate me for no reason. He threatened to have me expelled from the BBC and constantly harassed me. When I asked what I had done wrong, he admitted that I hadn’t done anything at all that I was good at my job.” Read Also: Rotary Donates Kits to Pregnant, Nursing Women in Katsina According to her, the final threat came just two days before Ramadan. “I prayed never to be humiliated again. Ramadan began in May; by September, I got a message on LinkedIn inviting me to TRT World.” Halima joined BBC Hausa in December 2014 as a Multimedia Journalist and rose to Senior Digital Journalist before exiting in early 2023. When asked whether she would ever consider returning, her response was unequivocal, “No, no! Once I move forward, I don’t go back.” Notably, the AREWA24 interview was mysteriously deleted shortly after airing, fueling speculation and public concern. Her revelations opened the floodgates for other former employees to share similar experiences. Jabeer Mustapha Sambo, also a former BBC Hausa journalist, backed her claims saying “everything Halima said is true. I was also abused by the same man. What I faced was even worse. I fell into depression, I couldn’t sleep or eat. I dreaded going to work. Eventually, I resigned. I knew I would never return to the BBC.” Another ex-staffer, Mo Sani Aliyu, echoed the concerns, saying the alleged abuser remains at the BBC and continues unchecked. “I also resigned because the work environment was no longer safe. There must be an investigation into what’s happening at BBC Hausa.” Current BBC journalist Fauzia Tukur questioned the deletion of the video: “The focus should now shift to staff welfare at the BBC. Why was the video pulled down? Does it mean Halima’s claims were valid? Enough is enough.” Reactions have extended beyond the media industry. Dr. Muhsin Ibrahim, a lecturer at the University of Cologne, Germany, criticized the apparent inaction saying: “Had this happened in the UK, the BBC would’ve launched an investigation immediately. No one, especially women, should face harassment at work. Justice must prevail.” Under the UK’s Equality Act 2010, workplace harassment especially based on sex or race is illegal. Though Nigeria lacks a specific law on workplace harassment, the constitution upholds the right to dignity and freedom from discrimination, and victims may seek redress at the National Industrial Court. Despite the BBC’s international reputation for impartiality and integrity, these allegations paint a troubling picture of the internal culture within its Hausa Service in Nigeria. With mounting testimonies and increasing public pressure, journalists, rights advocates, and critics are calling for an independent investigation. Many warn that silence could embolden abusers and endanger more journalists particularly women in the future. As one former staffer summed it up that “everyone knew it was a toxic environment. That man could bully you openly, and nothing would happen. It became normal.” Now, all eyes are on the BBC whether will it take action, or continue to stay silent?

Environment, Kano, News

FAO 2025 Mission Concludes in Kano with Renewed Commitments and Fresh Tree Replanting Efforts

The 2025 Kano Mission of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has come to a logical conclusion following a robust brainstorming session aimed at evaluating previous interventions and charting new strategies for greater impact. The session, which held at the Kano-ACReSAL conference hall, followed a field visit to one of the project’s intervention sites in Gabasawa Local Government Area, where a beating-up exercise was conducted to replace missing trees. During the visit, approximately 5,000 seedlings of various tree species including Acacia, Parcia, Tamarind, Baobab, and Mahogany were successfully replanted. Read Also: A New Chapter Begins: Celebrating the Appointment of Aminu Gidado Yusha’u as Kano ACReSAL Project Coordinator In a statement issued at the end of the session, the mission team expressed satisfaction with the progress recorded so far and provided key recommendations to address emerging challenges. These include tackling issues such as animal intrusion, ensuring sustained community engagement, and promoting increased participation of women in environmental restoration initiatives. The team also emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration and partnerships with stakeholders to facilitate the sharing of ideas, encourage creative problem-solving, and achieve shared development goals. Mission participants included the World Bank’s Co-TTL, Engr. Chinedu, along with focal persons and technical assistants from FAO, the Federal Project Management Unit-ACReSAL, and key representatives from participating states. Speaking during the session, the State Project Coordinator, Malam Aminu Gidado Yusha’u, commended the mission team for their technical support and unwavering commitment, which he described as instrumental to the success of the intervention in Kano State. He also appreciated the Kano-ACReSAL team, particularly the focal staff, for their dedication and determination towards achieving the project’s objectives.

Sport

Barau FC Appoints Ladan Bosso as New Technical Adviser

Barau Football Club has reached an agreement to appoint experienced coach Ladan Bosso as the club’s new Technical Adviser ahead of the 2025/2026 football season. In a statement signed by the club’s Media Officer, Ahmad Hamisu Gwale, the club announced that Coach Bosso will assume his new responsibilities with immediate effect as the team prepares to resume training in the coming days. Read Also: Tinubu Hails Ganduje’s Leadership, Commends Role in Establishing APC Progressive Institute While details of his contract and official unveiling ceremony are yet to be disclosed, the club expressed confidence that his wealth of experience will help strengthen the squad and enhance performance in the forthcoming season. Barau FC is expected to make further announcements regarding pre-season activities and other technical developments in due course.

Abuja, National, News

Tinubu Hails Ganduje’s Leadership, Commends Role in Establishing APC Progressive Institute

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed profound appreciation to the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for his notable contributions to the growth and strategic direction of the ruling party. Speaking in a televised broadcast from Abuja shortly after announcing the emergence of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe as the new APC National Chairman, President Tinubu commended Ganduje for delivering on the key responsibilities entrusted to him. Read Also: Ganduje Congratulates Yilwatda, Says Appointment is Strategic for APC He specifically lauded the former chairman for his foresight in establishing the Progressive Institute, an intellectual and policy-driven think tank aimed at strengthening the party’s ideological foundation and internal capacity. The President described the initiative as a landmark achievement and a legacy that will shape the APC’s long-term strategy and institutional development. He urged the new leadership of the party to work collaboratively with the Progressive Institute in order to realize the purpose for which it was founded and to sustain the party’s reform agenda.

Kano, News

PCRC National Chairman Visits AIG Zone One Headquarters, Inaugurates New Caretaker Committee

The National Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Alhaji Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, has paid a courtesy visit to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone One Headquarters, Kano, AIG Ahmed Garba. The highlight of the visit was the formal inauguration of a new Caretaker Committee for the Zone One PCRC. This was conveyed in a statement signed by the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer (ZPPRO), CSP Bashir Muhammad, who described the visit as a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to strengthen police-community relations in the region. During the visit, both Alhaji Olaniyan and AIG Ahmed Garba jointly inaugurated the new Caretaker Committee, which will oversee the affairs of the Zonal PCRC for a period of three months, pending the conduct of fresh elections. Honourable Yusuf Tabuka was named as the Chairman of the new committee. Read Also: AIG Zone I Receives Gauta Club on Courtesy Visit, Warns Against Unguarded Utterances The ceremony attracted the presence of top police officers, community leaders, and representatives of various organisations, who pledged their support for the renewed drive to deepen grassroots collaboration on security matters. In his remarks, Alhaji Olaniyan thanked AIG Garba for the warm reception and reaffirmed his commitment to launching impactful projects across the Zone aimed at boosting trust and cooperation between the police and residents. He noted that partnership remains a key element in ensuring effective community policing and sustainable development. On his part, AIG Ahmed Garba commended the National Chairman for his dedication to strengthening police-community relations and assured him of the Zone’s full support. He expressed confidence in the capacity of the newly inaugurated committee to make a difference in bridging the gap between the police and the public. The new Caretaker Committee is expected to champion initiatives that promote security awareness, rebuild trust, and foster community-led development efforts across the Zone.

National, News

Ganduje Congratulates Yilwatda, Says Appointment is Strategic for APC

The immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has congratulated Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe on his emergence as the new National Chairman of the party. This was conveyed in a statement personally signed by Dr. Ganduje on Wednesday, in which he described Yilwatda’s emergence as strategic and timely, coming at a critical period in the life of the ruling party. He also offered prayers for divine wisdom, strength, and courage for the new chairman as he assumes the mantle of leadership. Related: Meet the New APC National Chairman, Yilwatda Dr. Ganduje, a former governor of Kano State, expressed deep confidence in the capacity, intellect, maturity, and administrative competence of the new APC helmsman, stating that he has no doubt Yilwatda will move the party forward. He also commended the National Executive Committee (NEC) and other organs of the APC for what he described as a transparent and consensus-driven process that produced the new party chairman. The immediate past chairman urged Yilwatda to build on the solid foundations and legacies laid during his own tenure, just as he had done with those of his predecessor. He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for their wisdom and statesmanlike roles in guiding the party through the transition process. Read Also: How Kano People Missed Dr. Ganduje “Our President and Vice President have once again shown maturity and far-sightedness in the affairs of our great party. Their commitment to ensuring cohesion and stability within the APC is commendable, and I urge all stakeholders to rally around the new leadership to deliver on the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Ganduje said. He called on the National Working Committee, NEC, state chapters, youth and women wings, and other stakeholders to offer their full cooperation and support to the new leadership, stressing that unity, discipline, and loyalty must remain the cornerstone of the APC under Professor Yilwatda. Dr. Ganduje assured the new chairman of his unflinching support, counsel, and brotherly solidarity, and urged governors, lawmakers, and party faithful across the country to rally behind him in building a united, progressive, and inclusive platform for all Nigerians. He reiterated his willingness to continue offering political guidance and experience whenever called upon, reaffirming his commitment to the growth of the APC and the democratic development of the nation.

Kano, News

Waiya Reaffirms Kano’s Commitment to Curbing Thuggery and Substance Abuse

The Kano State Government has reiterated its commitment to combating drug abuse and political thuggery through collaborative efforts and strategic public enlightenment campaigns. This was conveyed in a statement signed by the Director of Special Duties, Sani Abba Yola, following a courtesy visit by the Coordinator of Kiru Reformative Centre, Ms. Cheryl Aminta Kwagga, to the Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs as part of her stakeholder engagement drive. Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, welcomed the visit, describing it as timely and strategic, and emphasized the state government’s readiness to partner with credible institutions in addressing youth-related social vices. Read Also: Waiya’s Transformative Impact on Kano’s Public Image “You have come at the right time. I am currently chairing a stakeholders’ coordinating committee on a project that targets thuggery and other associated vices. We are already working towards engaging organisations like the Kiru Reformative Centre,” he stated. The Commissioner explained that the initiative, code-named Safe Corridor: The Kano Model, has already recorded success in reaching out to delinquent youths. He said many have shown willingness to undergo rehabilitation and reintegration into society. “We have profiled hundreds of youths who are now ready to turn a new leaf. They are willing to abandon the dangerous path of thuggery and drug abuse and become useful to themselves and to society,” he said. Waiya also disclosed that a comprehensive action plan for the project is in its final stages and will soon be made public. The plan, he noted, includes targeted programmes designed to eliminate the root causes of crime among young people. He assured the Kiru Reformative Centre of the Ministry’s full support, stressing that drug abuse remains a major catalyst for criminality and social decay. “We will work closely with your Centre to provide the needed public awareness and sensitisation required to reform our youth,” he stated. In her remarks, Ms. Cheryl Aminta Kwagga appealed for the Ministry’s partnership in creating public awareness about the Centre’s reformative efforts. She acknowledged the Ministry’s key role in shaping public opinion and mobilising community support. “This battle must be fought together,” she said, “especially by leveraging the Ministry’s media expertise to reach affected communities.” Ms. Kwagga added that her visit was part of a broader stakeholder mobilisation effort aimed at addressing the root causes of youth restiveness through advocacy, rehabilitation, and community-based interventions.

Abuja, National, News

Prof. Nentawe’s Chairmanship Will Inspire APC, Says Mustapha Bala Dawaki

A former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Mustapha Bala Dawaki, has congratulated Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda on his appointment as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In a personally signed statement on Wednesday, Dawaki described the appointment as a recognition of Nentawe’s dedication, leadership capacity, and commitment to the ideals of the party. Read Also: Meet the New APC National Chairman, Yilwatda Dawaki, who represented Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency and served as Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations during his time in the National Assembly, expressed optimism that the new APC chairman would steer the party toward unity, stability, and strategic growth. “I am confident that Prof. Nentawe’s expertise and passion will inspire confidence and strengthen the party’s structure across the country,” he said. He also commended the APC for entrusting Nentawe with what he called “a critical national responsibility,” expressing belief that the new chairman would work tirelessly to advance the party’s interests and serve the nation with integrity.  

Humanitarian, Katsina

Rotary Donates Kits to Pregnant, Nursing Women in Katsina

The Rotary International, through the Rotary action group for peace Nigeria chapter, has donated delivery kits to some pregnant women and breastfeeding kits to nursing mothers in Katsina. The kits were distributed to no fewer than 60 less privileged women in Shinkafi community in Katsina Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on Monday. Speaking during the event, the Rotary North-West Zone-3 Coordinator, Alhaji Sa’idu Jibrin, said the gesture was aimed to assist the less privileged. Read Also: 17-Brigade offers free medical treatment for 700 people in Katsina “We’re giving out this support to the less privileged women not because the government cannot, but for us to complement their efforts at all levels. “Rotary action group for peace is also giving the support for us to contribute our quota towards the development of the country.” He explained that some of the items donated were diapers, medicated soaps, other bathing soaps, foods for babies, and mosquito nets. According to him, some of the items donated will assist and reduce the challenges faced by the less privileged pregnant women, especially during delivery. Sa’idu further advised the beneficiaries to make use of the items given to them, urging the women not to sell the kits. In his remarks, the acting District Head of Shinkafi, Alhaji Abdulrashid Abubakar, appreciated the gesture and assured to brief the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmuminu Kabir-Usman, about the development. He added that the support would go a long way in reducing the hardship some of the women faced during delivery, and also breastfeeding. According to him, some of the women being taken to hospital during labour cannot afford some of the things required for delivery. “Also, some of the new born babies are left without proper care, which is hazardous to their health especially the issue of malaria.” Some of the beneficiaries commended the Rotary action group for the gesture, and promised to use the items for the purpose they were provided for. (NAN)

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