Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Limited have donated school materials valued at N241 million to 3,704 students in host communities in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos State, as part of efforts to support education and community development.
The materials were distributed during the 6th edition of the Dangote Scholarship Award Programme. A total of 1,348 pupils in five primary schools received school bags, uniforms, sandals and sanitary materials, while 2,356 students across four secondary schools also benefited from the initiative.
The programme is aimed at improving access to education and supporting students in the company’s host communities.
Speaking at the event, Vice President, Oil and Gas, Edwin Devakumar, said the Dangote Group sees education as an important tool for social progress. He noted that the scholarship programme, introduced in 2019, has continued to grow in scope and reach, although it was paused in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, 442 students are benefiting from the 2025 scholarship cycle.
He explained that 56 secondary school students benefited when the programme started in 2019. The initiative resumed in 2021 with 138 beneficiaries, including 117 secondary school students and 19 tertiary students.
“In 2022, 460 students were supported, including 443 secondary and 19 tertiary students. By 2023, the number rose to 469, comprising 445 secondary and 24 tertiary students. In 2024, 473 students benefited, including 450 secondary and 23 tertiary students. For 2025, we are supporting 442 students, comprising 410 secondary and 32 tertiary students,” he said.
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Devakumar added that the company’s social investment programmes also include skills development and employment opportunities.
He disclosed that 22 youths from the host communities recently completed City & Guilds of London certification programmes in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, with 19 of them already employed within the organisation.
“At the Dangote Group, our philosophy is simple: the prosperity of our communities and the success of our businesses must go hand in hand,” he said.
“Through initiatives like this, we are contributing meaningfully to global development priorities, including quality education, poverty reduction, and decent work opportunities. These efforts align with international goals focused on expanding access to education, strengthening skills for employment, and promoting inclusive economic growth.
“Most importantly, these programmes reflect our belief that no young person should be limited by circumstances when they possess the talent and determination to succeed,” Devakumar added.
The programme also received support from the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which contributed school kits distributed to the students.
The Executive Chairman of Lekki LCDA, Engr. Rasaki Bamidele Kasali, described the intervention as timely and impactful. While thanking the company for supporting the 15 host communities, he urged it to extend similar initiatives to neighbouring communities.
“Other communities have been craving this level of development being enjoyed by the host communities. Dangote has been trying and doing its best, and we appreciate all their efforts.
“For the people of Lekki LCDA, we say a big thank you to Dangote, and we will continue to ask for more. As we know, Lekki LCDA is the economic hub of the nation, and we have seen remarkable developments taking place,” he said.
The Onilekki of Lekki Land, HRM Oba Kazeem Olumuyiwa Ogunbekun, also commended the company for sustaining its community interventions over the years.
“Our communities are happy with what Dangote has been doing over the past six to seven years. We encourage them to sustain these efforts, and we will continue to support initiatives that have a human face and promote community development,” he said.
Beneficiaries also shared their appreciation for the opportunity. One of the City & Guilds of London graduates, Yusiot Taiwo, described the programme as life-changing, saying it helped him secure employment with Dangote Fertiliser.
Another beneficiary, Saheed Olukayode, an indigene of Ibeju-Lekki, said the initiative has encouraged him to pursue further education while thanking the company for its support.
The Dangote Group said it remains committed to supporting education, skills development and economic opportunities in its host communities.