Dangote Cement Plc, Africa’s largest cement producer, continues to announce record-breaking earnings yr after yr.
In 2024 alone, the conglomerate posted billions in internet features, increasing its market dominance throughout Nigeria and past.
However behind the boardroom applause and shiny earnings stories lies a recurring tragedy that performs out on Nigerian roads — a sample of lethal and injurious crashes involving Dangote vans, leaving shattered our bodies, damaged households, and unfulfilled desires of their wake.
In 2024 alone, a number of lethal and life-altering crashes involving the corporate’s heavy-duty automobiles had been recorded throughout the nation, leaving a path of shattered households, misplaced livelihoods, and unanswered questions.
Survivors, victims’ kin, and street security advocates say these tragedies comply with a disturbing sample of recklessness, doable company negligence, and weak regulatory enforcement.
From Company Success to Human Tragedy
The latest victims are three individuals who had been crushed to loss of life just lately in Auchi, Edo State, after a Dangote truck suffered brake failure and rammed right into a white Mercedes-Benz GLK alongside the Benin–Okene expressway.
Eyewitnesses mentioned the affect of the collision mangled the automotive, which was carrying 4 occupants, killing three immediately and leaving one survivor critically injured.
The lethal crash occurred simply days after one other horrifying accident involving a Dangote truck alongside the identical Auchi axis. This time, the sufferer was 26-year-old Ruth Otanor Bodom, now deceased, a recent Greater Nationwide Diploma graduate of Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State.
Barely per week after finishing her remaining exams in Advertising, Ruth’s life was minimize brief when a Dangote truck, allegedly pushed by an unlicensed underage driver, rammed into the motorbike she was on. The affect crushed her legs past restore, forcing medical doctors to amputate them. Witnesses mentioned the driving force tried to flee however was chased and caught by industrial motorcyclists. Police later confirmed he had no licence.
Sadly, the mom of two lastly handed away on August 31, 2025, after days of excruciating ache.
A Grim Sample on Nigerian Roads
The Auchi crashes are usually not remoted circumstances. Past the glowing {financial} headlines, a string of lethal and injurious street accidents involving Dangote vans has been reported throughout Nigerian roads.
From Lagos to Kano, Abuja to Port Harcourt, Edo State to different components of the nation, Dangote vans — typically transporting cement, uncooked supplies, or completed items — have been concerned in accidents that, in keeping with witnesses and security consultants, might need been prevented with stricter coaching, higher automobile upkeep, and correct driver vetting.
In November 2023, three individuals had been killed in Ogun State when a Dangote truck reportedly suffered brake failure and rammed right into a industrial bus. In March 2024, a crash alongside the Abuja–Lokoja expressway involving one other Dangote automobile left two households mourning their breadwinners.
On April 28, 2024, alongside the Okene bypass on the Okene–Lokoja freeway in Kogi State, a Dangote truck, alleged to have been driving towards site visitors and making an attempt a wrongful overtake, collided head-on with a Toyota Hiace bus travelling from Kano. The affect ignited an inferno that consumed the bus, killing 19 of the 22 passengers, all male, on board. Officers of the Federal Street Security Corps confirmed that the crash was brought on by route violation and reckless overtaking.
Only a month earlier, in March, tragedy struck in Abule Egba, Lagos, when a Dangote mixer truck suffered brake failure and veered onto a pedestrian path, crushing a lady to loss of life. Witnesses mentioned the automobile, with registration quantity KANO MDB 531 XA, swerved inward towards a Mobil Filling Station close to Jubilee Bridge, leaving the sufferer lifeless on the spot.
In October, two separate incidents occurred in fast succession. On the twenty fourth, within the early hours close to Space B, Apapa, Lagos, a Dangote truck struck a industrial motorcyclist and injured his feminine passenger. In response to LASTMA officers, the driving force’s reckless conduct was evident, and each he and his assistant fled the scene, abandoning the truck whereas the injured passenger was rushed to Apapa Basic Hospital.
The very subsequent day, in Maryland, Lagos, a Dangote-owned MACK concrete mixer collided with a JustRite supply truck because it was being loaded. The JustRite driver died immediately, and the Dangote truck, unable to halt its momentum, smashed into a close-by constructing, injuring two extra individuals.
Barely two months later, on December 12, 2024, one other Dangote truck tragedy unfolded in Jimtilo, alongside the Maiduguri–Damaturu street in Borno State. Witnesses mentioned the rushing truck misplaced management and ploughed right into a Borno State College bus carrying college students dwelling after their examinations. Two college students — a final-year male and a second-year feminine — died immediately, whereas sixteen others had been injured. Governor Babagana Zulum, visiting the scene, pledged medical take care of survivors and ordered the accelerated completion of a trailer park designed to maintain heavy-duty vans out of the town.
Taken collectively, these incidents — scattered throughout states, months, and circumstances — reveal what street security advocates describe as an “unacceptable sample,” one during which company logistics operations are perceived to be overshadowing the fundamental obligation of safeguarding human lives.
Visitors security campaigner Engr. Tunde Aluko informed our correspondent: “The general public is fast in charge dangerous roads, however in lots of of those Dangote circumstances, you see clear driver negligence — overspeeding, poor relaxation durations, and in some circumstances, outright lack of licences. The corporate’s vans are primarily weapons when mismanaged.”
The Revenue Paradox
Whereas these accidents devastate lives, Dangote Group continues to put up big {financial} features.
In its 2024 annual report, Dangote Cement Plc introduced earnings of N503.2 billion, marking a ten p.c development from the N455.6 billion recorded in 2023.
The corporate attributed the surge to elevated gross sales volumes and strategic cost-cutting measures — together with logistics efficiencies. In the identical yr, the group posted a income of N3.58 trillion in 2024, which was 62 p.c increased than the N2.21 trillion recorded in 2023. With a gross revenue of N1.9 trillion, Dangote’s Cement’s gross margin in 2024 was 54 p.c.
Dangote Cement additionally reported an working revenue of N1.15 trillion in 2024, representing a 57% enhance from the N734.3 billion recorded in 2023. The group’s pre-tax revenue elevated to N732.5 billion, from N553.1 billion recorded in 2023. With a internet tax expense of N229.3 billion, the group’s internet revenue was N503.2 billion.
In the identical yr, the group mentioned it recorded a income of N2.06 trillion from its cement gross sales in Nigeria. Dangote Cement Nigeria additionally exported about N128.3 billion price of cement.
The group’s different African operations recorded a income of N1.48 trillion. Dangote Cement’s operations embrace cement production in South Africa, Ethiopia, Zambia, Senegal, Zambia, DR Congo, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Zimbabwe, and Congo. The group’s complete property grew to N6.4 trillion on the finish of 2024. This represents a 63% enhance from N3.94 trillion in 2023. Its internet property elevated to N2.18 trillion, from N1.73 trillion as of 2023.
Critics argue that these logistics efficiencies typically depend on the identical huge trucking fleet that street customers say poses security considerations. Trade insiders declare that sub-contracting to unbiased truckers and cost-cutting on driver recruitment and coaching could also be worsening security requirements.
Regulators Beneath Fireplace
The Federal Street Security Corps (FRSC) and state site visitors businesses have confronted criticism for allegedly failing to carry highly effective company fleets to increased security requirements. Victims’ households typically declare the police mishandle crash investigations, significantly when influential corporations are concerned.
For Bodom’s household, justice means greater than courtroom proceedings; it means systemic change to stop others from struggling the identical destiny.
“We don’t simply need compensation,” Josephina mentioned. “We would like a state of affairs the place no different household has to undergo this ache simply because an organization values revenue over individuals’s lives.”
The Street Forward
As Dangote Group celebrates one other yr of hovering earnings, the query stays: what number of extra lives might be misplaced or eternally altered earlier than street security turns into as a lot a company precedence as the underside line?
Till there’s a real overhaul of driver recruitment, coaching, and fleet administration — backed by stronger regulatory oversight — the grim paradox will persist: earnings rising, whereas Nigerian lives are minimize brief or damaged underneath the wheels of the nation’s most worthwhile vans.
Dangote Group Reacts
Anthony Chiejina, group chief, branding and communication, Dangote Group didn’t reply to The Witness inquiries as at press time.
Nonetheless, days later, the corporate issued an announcement stating that it has retrained over 900 of its drivers.
The assertion added that each of the corporate’s driver should possess a legitimate Class G licence, go background checks, medical evaluations, drug and alcohol exams, and full a two-week intensive programme earlier than they’re allowed to drive.