A former chairman of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Mr Emmanuel Ikazoboh, has been appointed as the new chairman of Dangote Cement Plc.
His appointment followed the retirement of Mr Aliko Dangote from the board and position to give room to fresh ideas and innovation to move the company forward.
The new occupier of the seat started his professional career at Akintola Williams Deloitte, and first became the Managing Partner for francophone offices in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire and later became the Managing Partner of the Deloitte firm in West and Central Africa until 2009.
In 2010 he was appointed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an Interim Administrator to carry out capital market reforms of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited, then known as the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), and the Central Securities Clearing System Plc. (CSCS).
In his new role, Mr Ikazoboh intends to optimise costs through the implementation of robust cost-reduction strategies to navigate inflationary pressures and enhance competitiveness.
The company, he stated, will accelerate efforts to adopt alternative fuels and technologies, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and contributing to a more sustainable future.
Regarding staff welfare, he promised that the cement giant would continue to invest in training and development, fostering a culture of excellence and empowering employees to reach their full potential.
“My vision for Dangote Cement Plc is built upon a foundation of sustainable growth, operational efficiency, and unwavering commitment to our core values.
“We will continue to focus on the following key priorities, Operational Excellence, Strategic Expansion, Sustainability, Innovation and Community Engagement,” he said in his acceptance speech.
Mr Ikazoboh described the company as a beacon of African enterprise, which has consistently demonstrated resilience, innovation, and a commitment to excellence.
Over the years, Dangote Cement Plc has not only become the continent’s leading cement producer but has also played a vital role in driving economic growth and development across numerous African nations.
Mr Dangote, who effectively retired as Dangote Cement chairman on Friday, July 25, 2025, established the firm with a bold dream: to make Nigeria and Africa self-sufficient in cement production.
Through strategic investments in state-of-the-art plants, and a commitment to local content, he not only met that goal but exceeded it and today, it has 52.0Mta capacity across African continent with Nigeria accounting for 35.25Mta.
Currently, additional greenfield plants are coming up in Cote Ivoire (3.0Mta) and Itori, Nigeria (6.0 Mta) and on completion this year will push total capacity to 61.0Mta.
Mr Dangote is retiring from the board to focus more attention on the refinery, petrochemicals, fertiliser and government relations to drive the company’s five-year business trajectory to a superlative height.