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Dangote to Launch 25,000 Hectares of Rice Outgrower Scheme.

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DANGOTE Rice, a subsidiary of Dangote Group is set to launch in Sokoto state it’s multi-million naira 25,000 hectares of rice outgrower scheme with a view to providing hundreds of thousands of employment opportunities for the rural communities inhabitants.

The group’s President , Aliko Dangote made this known at the weekend that the Company will on Wednesday, flag off with a pilot project of 500 ha by Gonroyo dam, which is the second largest in the country, after Kainji situated in Goronyo community.

The flag off ceremony to be performed by the governor of the state, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwa will witness seedlings being distributed to the primary local farmers who will in turn plant the seed after which Dangote Rice company will purchase from them for milling and final processing.

Sokoto state is the second after Jigawa out of the 14 states spread across the state where Dangote Rice plans to operate outgrower scheme to empower local farmers and create job opportunities for community dwellers and reduce migration to the cities.

Dangote Rice projects in the 14 states, when, operational, will generate a significant number of jobs and increase take-home income for smallholder farmers, all while diversifying Nigeria’s economy and reducing the nation’s food import bill.

Statistics from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) estimates that rice demand in Nigeria reached 6.3 million MT in 2015, with only 2.3 million MT of that demand satisfied by local production.

This local production shortfall leaves a gap of 4.0 million MT that is currently being filled through formal importation of rice or illegal imports over land borders.

By year-end 2017, Dangote Rice plans to produce 225,000 MT of parboiled, milled white rice. This will allow us to satisfy 4% of the total market demand within 1 year. Our model can then be successfully scaled to produce 1,000,000 MT of milled rice in order to satisfy 16% of the domestic market demand for rice over the next 5 years.

Due to the current economic crisis, domestic prices for agro-commodities have risen dramatically over the last 12 months, making local agriculture an attractive investment

Due to the current economic crisis, domestic prices for agro-commodities have risen dramatically over the last 12 months, making local agriculture an attractive investment. Dangote Rice Limited  seeks to take advantage of this economic trend and the favourable policies laid out in the FMARD’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

Dangote Rice has a mandate to locally high-quality milled, parboiled rice for the Nigeria market. This goal will be achieved by sourcing the raw material (paddy) required from the Dangote Rice Outgrower Scheme.

Through the Dangote Rice Outgrower Scheme, DRL will partner with outgrowers (smallholder and contract rice farmers) to cultivate and grow rice paddy. Specifically, DRL will provide inputs, technical assistance, extension services and land preparation services and equipment directly to farmers. At harvest, DRL will recoup the costs of inputs and services in-kind and will act as a guaranteed offtaker for paddy that meets certain pre-agreed quality standards. Smallholder farmers will provide land and labour.

The centralized outgrower model enables a high level of control over product quality and quantity. The purchasing price given to farmers will reflect each season’s market price and will be set after an extensive market price survey and consultation with all stakeholders.

In the short-term, Dangote Rice will be responsible for importing all of the inputs needed for cultivation and making them available to the outgrowers.

By end of 2017, Dangote Rice will have 25,000 Ha under rice cultivation across 3 sites in Northern Nigeria having identified rice-growing communities in Jigawa State (5,000 Ha), Sokoto State (10,000 Ha) and Zamfara State (10,000 Ha).

The 25,000 Ha will be farmed by nearly 50,000 outgrowers in the selected site areas. These outgrowers are already organized into cooperative associations. We will engage with these organizations to register and sign contracts with each farmer.

In addition to the outgrowers, an additional ~260 jobs will be created by year-end 2017. These individuals will serve as agronomists, credit officers and staff of the mill.

Upon harvest, Dangote Rice will offtake rice paddy and transport the paddy to be processed. One centralized mill will mill the stored paddy rice from all 3 sites.

Dangote Rice plans to produce one million MT of rice from 150,000 Ha in the next 5 years over. They intend to accomplish this by scaling the business model described above to more sites and rice growing communities. These communities have been identified and relationship building and sensitization has already begun. In addition to scaling the above model, DRL will establish and manage a high-quality seed development farm at Numan in Adamawa to reduce the costs of seeds.

Dangote Rice will establish raw material reception, drying, hulling, parboiling units and silos in strategic areas throughout the country near our additional outgrower communities. Each site will store dried, hulled, parboiled bran rice. DRL will then transport this bran rice to a mill, where finished rice will be produced.

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Oseni Donates Boreholes, Transformer, Solar Streetlights to Ibadan Community

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The House of Representatives member for Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has donated four boreholes, a 500KVA transformer, and solar-powered streetlights to Fatokun Itesiwaju Community, Iyana Tipa, Bako, in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The donation, made during the community’s 5th anniversary celebration last Sunday, aims to improve access to clean water, reliable electricity, and safer streets for residents. Oseni urged community leaders to strategically locate the projects to ensure that every household benefits.

Speaking through his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker said the gesture reflects his commitment to delivering on electoral promises and bringing tangible development to his constituents.

“This is about improving lives. Clean water, electricity, and well-lit streets are essential for the community’s growth and safety. I want every household to feel the impact of these projects,” the APC chieftain said.

Oseni, who is also the APC senatorial candidate for Oyo South, highlighted several  projects and initiatives in the constituency. These include a ₦1 million youth entrepreneurship empowerment scheme benefiting 100 youths – over 60 of whom have already benefited, programmes for traders and artisans, free WAEC and JAMB examination sponsorships for indigent students, and the construction of schools, health centres, bridges, and roads, among others.

“Development is not just about infrastructure; it’s about empowering people. Giving our youths opportunities, supporting local traders, and improving community facilities are all part of a larger vision to uplift every household in the federal constituency,” he added.

The lawmaker also commended the community for its support in the last elections, which contributed to his overwhelming victory and that of APC candidates, including President Bola Tinubu, in the federal constituency. He assured residents that ongoing road projects would be completed and other promises fulfilled before the end of his tenure, noting that many of the initiatives have been included in the approved budget.

Community leaders, speaking separately, described Oseni as a “lawmaker who listens and acts, not just talks.”

“We have seen promises made by many before, but Engr. Oseni has shown real commitment. This is not the first time, and it has earned him the title of ‘Mr. Talk and Do.’ These donations will truly change lives,” one of the leaders said.

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Adelabu family aide supplied kidnappers with intelligence on sister’s movement, twins’ abduction – Police 

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The Oyo State Police Command has alleged that a personal assistant attached to the family of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, provided critical information that enabled the abduction of his sister, Mrs Olaide Busayo Adegoke John-Paul, and her 12-year-old twin sons.

The command said the aide, identified as Shehu, allegedly fed the kidnappers with details of the family’s daily routine, movement patterns and vulnerability, which were used to execute the operation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed this during an interview on Channels Television’s

The Morning Brief, where he provided updates on the ongoing investigation.
Mrs John-Paul and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, were abducted on June 3, 2026, at the Elewura axis of Ring Road, Ibadan, while she was taking them to school.

They were later rescued alive during a coordinated operation on June 6, which also led to the death of two suspected kidnappers.

Ayanlade said the rescue mission was carried out on the directive of the Inspector-General of Police and coordinated by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police in conjunction with operatives of the Force Intelligence Department’s Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT).

He explained that one of the principal suspects, known as Ololu, had long been on the command’s watch list before his eventual arrest.

“Of course, one of the perpetrators by name popularly called Ololu has been on the command’s watch list. The operatives continued to trail him until his eventual arrest,” he said.

According to him, intelligence obtained from Ololu led investigators to another suspect, identified as Dare, also known as Solution.

Preliminary findings, he added, indicated that Shehu, who worked closely with the family, was approached and allegedly recruited to provide insider information about their movements and routine.

“The one who was with the family, who happened to be a personal assistant by name Shehu, was one of those who we picked. He was the one that was first approached to give them inside information of how the family lives, their lifestyle, their routine and all,” Ayanlade said.

The police further alleged that the kidnappers initially planned to abduct the children’s mother after monitoring the family’s pattern of movement.

However, the plan changed when they realised that a driver usually took the children to school. On the day of the incident, the mother reportedly drove them herself, prompting the abductors to strike.

“The initial plan was to kidnap the mother. However, they realised that it was the driver who usually takes them to school, and they changed their plan to go for the kids. Unfortunately, that day it was the mother who drove them to school, and they swung into action,” he added.

Ayanlade said the victims were traced to a hideout in Ibadan on June 6 at about 7:30 p.m., following sustained intelligence-led operations.

He disclosed that during the rescue attempt, a suspect identified as Kelechi, who reportedly travelled from Lagos for the operation, opened fire on operatives.

“They opened fire on the operatives, and then the operatives professionally and with tactical precision neutralised him and the second, who was also there to give a covering fire for him,” he said.

The police confirmed that arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects, while the rescued victims were found unharmed.

Ayanlade added that investigations were still ongoing, with efforts intensified to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang.

“I would not want to preempt the investigation. The investigation is still ongoing. The suspects are in custody. We are still on the trail of the rest of them that escaped,” he stated.

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Tinubu Swears in Tegbe as Minister of Power

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday evening officially swore in Joseph Tegbe as Nigeria’s new Minister of Power at the Exco Chambers of the Presidential Villa. The ceremony was attended by Tegbe’s wife and senior government officials.

An indigene of Oyo State, Tegbe is a seasoned fiscal and economic reform expert with over three decades of experience spanning both public and private sectors.

Until his latest appointment, he served as the Director General and Global Liaison for the Nigeria-China Strategic Partnership, coordinating critical bilateral development initiatives between the two nations. He also previously led as Senior Partner and Head of Advisory Services at KPMG Africa, driving fiscal policy reforms, governance frameworks, and institutional transformation.

Tegbe’s portfolio includes chairing the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee, inaugurated by the Federal Government in 2025 to oversee the execution of Nigeria’s revised tax policy.

He has also been involved in regulatory and institutional reforms in the power sector, collaborating with agencies such as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission and the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company.

A statement from the presidency noted that “the President expects the Minister to leverage his extensive expertise to advance critical reforms and deliver improved outcomes for Nigerians in the power sector.”

Tegbe succeeds Chief Bayo Adelabu, who resigned in March 2026 to pursue his ambition to contest the 2027 Oyo State governorship election.

Adelabu’s exit followed President Tinubu’s directive that political appointees intending to run for elective positions must step down.

Commenting on his departure, Adelabu stated that his resignation “aligns with due process and party guidelines as I prepare to return to active partisan politics ahead of the 2027 elections.”

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