Dangote

Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote has said that Nigeria loses an estimated N20 billion every day to the traffic gridlock experienced at the Apapa port.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Dangote said the grim state of the Apapa road is an embarrassment to the country and expressed dissatisfaction over the general state of roads in Nigeria which, according to him, hinders businesses from running at maximum capacities.

“The economy loses more than N20 billion daily. It affects businesses across the country. All our operations in the hinterland in Ilorin, in Kano are operating at 40 percent maximum capacity,” Dangote said.

“Today there is no linkage road going from South West to the North. You have to go all the way through Ajaokuta, Obajana, Lokoja and you have to go by that uncompleted road Obasanjo started 13 years ago,” he added.

He said he resolved to personally get involved in the reconstruction of the Apapa-Wharf road since more than 60 percent of the nation’s imports and exports go through the port.

He explained that his company in collaboration with Flour Mills have agreed with the Federal Government to pump in over N 2.5 billion for the construction of the 2 kilometre double-lane road that will tackle the traffic and drainage problem which has persisted in the area for years.