Nigerien president honours Dangote, five others

The President of the Republic of Niger, Mohammed Bazoum, has honoured the President of Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and five other Nigerians with his country’s national honours in recognition of their roles in the promotion of better relations between Nigeria and Niger.

This made known in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity,  Garba Shehu, on Wednesday, adding that the awards were presented to commemorate Niger’s Independence Day on August 3.

The statement read, “The day is set aside to mark the nation’s independence from France in 1960 and since 1975 has been recognised as ‘tree-planting day’ as trees are planted across the nation to aid the fight against desertification.

“In giving the awards, President Mohammed Bazoum said his country cherished Nigeria as one of its closest neighbours and friends. Those honoured from the Presidency are the Senior Special Assistant (Household and Domestic Affairs) to the President, Sarki Abba, and the State Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Lawal Kazaure.

“Businessmen who received the honours are Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group and Abdulsamad Rabi’u, President BUA Group, and the two Governors were Alhaji Badaru Abubakar, Jigawa and Mohammed Matawalle, Zamfara State. They were awarded the Order of Merit of Niger, Great Master of National Awards.”

Meanwhile, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and GAVI the Vaccine Alliance have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government of the Republic of Niger to improve the expanded programme on immunisation in Diffa, Maradi and Zinder regions, which are along the country’s southern border with Nigeria.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Media and Communications Manager of Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Francis Awowole-Browne, on Wednesday, adding that the Aliko Dangote Foundation and BMGF had played key roles in a historic certification by the World Health Organisation of a polio-free Nigeria and Africa in August 2020.