Dangote Cement restates commitment to safer road

Orisemeke Benjamin

The Dangote Cement Plc has reiterated the commitment of its drivers in ensuring that they drive safely just as the management said retraining of its drivers for effective safe and smooth driving across the length and breadth of Nigeria remains a top priority.

Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Arvind Pathak while speaking at the 2025 Annual Driver’s Retreat themed “Drive Safely, Arrive Safely” affirmed that as a leading cement manufacturer with thousands of trucks in its fleet, safety on the road remains its core mandate.

He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to road safety, transparency, appropriate ethical conduct, and provision of detailed clarity on the comprehensive systems and procedures to mitigate against any incident along roads across the country.

He explained that that every driver employed by Dangote Cement is required to undergo an extensive and rigorously structured recruitment process that includes: Valid Driver’s license class G, background verification of both the driver and their guarantors, comprehensive medical evaluation, including vision screening (eye test), blood pressure checks, BMI-body mass index, RBS – random blood sugar test as well as drug and alcohol testing.

“Other recruitment screening covers usage within a three-month detection window, ensuring identifying any history of substance use before employment, Completion of a two-week intensive training programme, which consists of twelve safety modules, practical driving assessments, and written examinations”, he stated.

According to him, “In the past two months alone, over 500 prospective drivers have successfully completed this process. Only those who meet all required standards were engaged and certified to operate any Dangote Group vehicles. Our commitment to safety extends beyond recruitment. All drivers undergo mandatory pre-trip medical assessments, conducted by licensed nurses and doctors.

“These include regular checks on blood pressure, vision, and overall fitness; ensuring drivers are physically and mentally fit to operate safely. To enforce compliance with our zero-tolerance policy on substance use, random drug tests are conducted routinely across our operations.”