Dangote Cement Plc has intensified its commitment to road safety by launching a major recertification exercise for all its truck drivers and installing surveillance cameras across its fleet of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks. The move, which comes amid rising concerns over highway crashes, reflects the company’s zero-tolerance policy on road accidents.
Speaking at the Obajana plant in Kogi State, Head of Transport at Dangote Cement Plc, Murilo Silva, said the measures are part of the company’s broader strategy to promote safe driving and achieve its goal of zero crashes. According to him, all aspiring drivers must now meet stricter entry requirements, including a minimum age of 23 years, at least five years of relevant driving experience, and possession of a valid Class G license. Applicants must also undergo rigorous screening, which involves medical checks, drug and alcohol testing, as well as a clean criminal record verification.
Silva noted that participation in Dangote’s monthly driver training programmes has risen by 60 percent this year, while drug and alcohol testing increased by 40 percent. Pre-trip inspections, designed to detect and prevent faults before journeys begin, have also recorded a 74 percent rise. He added that the company’s dedicated Health, Safety, and Environment department conducts routine assessments, ensuring drivers are physically and mentally fit before every trip.
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The company has invested heavily in infrastructure to support the initiative. At Obajana, a multi-million-naira Pre-Trip Inspection Bay has been established, complete with engineers and mechanics to thoroughly examine trucks. Drivers also have access to a Rest House designed to help them recover between long journeys. In addition, Dangote has set up a monitoring system that tracks drivers while on duty, alongside a Help Desk and Control Department that provides real-time oversight of driver behavior and trip conditions.
The Manager of the Dangote Articulated Truck Drivers Training School, Daniel Marcus Akuso, explained that the institution, which operates in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), is the first of its kind in Nigeria. It offers courses ranging from defensive driving, truck handling, and maintenance technology to civic education, English, mathematics, and road sign interpretation.
Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak, also revealed that no fewer than 1,500 drivers have recently undergone an intensive screening programme. The assessments tested drivers’ physical, psychological, and mental health through vision checks, blood pressure monitoring, body mass index evaluation, and random blood sugar tests. He emphasized that the screening is now mandatory given the challenges facing Nigeria’s roads, insisting that only drivers who meet the highest safety standards will be cleared to operate Dangote’s fleet.
With thousands of trucks crisscrossing Nigeria’s highways daily, Dangote’s new measures may be the right steps toward curbing accidents, protecting lives, and setting higher safety benchmarks in the country’s transport and logistics sector.
