Truck operators using the logo of Dangote Industries Limited without authorisation may soon begin to face legal actions, the management of the conglomerate has said.
The company in a statement said it had to resort to this because of the serious embarrassment truck operators have brought to the brand, especially with the recent fatal road crash in Enugu State, which was wrongly attributed to the organisation because of the authorised use of its logo on the truck involved in the unfortunate incident.
Dangote said despite previous warnings, certain truckers with no affiliation to it continue to display its logo on their trucks, often for personal gain or other undisclosed motives, noting with concern that some of these vehicles have been implicated in incidents that were wrongly attributed to the firm.
To that end, Dangote has pledged to intensify monitoring efforts in collaboration with relevant security agencies and law enforcement, and to pursue legal proceedings against offenders.
“We have repeatedly cautioned truckers to refrain from using our logo on unauthorised vehicles. Moving forward, we will increase vigilance and take decisive legal action against misuse of our brand identity, particularly concerning vehicles unaffiliated with the Dangote Group,” the company emphasised.
Dangote also expressed alarm over the proliferation of misinformation targeting the company, particularly the unfounded attribution of road accidents to its fleet, urging the public and media to verify facts before dissemination and warned against falling prey to individuals seeking to exploit tragedies for malicious or financial purposes.
Dangote Group said it operates one of the largest commercial fleets in Africa, with over 12,000 trucks in Nigeria alone, including over 3,000 owned by third-party contractors. On any given day, more than 6,000 vehicles are actively engaged in operations that support the company’s extensive logistics network, generating over 36,000 direct and indirect jobs.
“We maintain close cooperation with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other regulatory bodies to standardise, monitor, train, and enhance our operational practices. Continuous internal audits enable us to identify gaps, adopt global best practices, and strengthen compliance across our fleet,” it added.