Aliko Dangote don tell women entrepreneurs make dem dream big and no allow the hard side of business discourage dem. He talk this one for Lagos when e deliver keynote address for the 25th anniversary celebration of WIMBIZ, where he encourage women to increase their ambition, stay focused and build resilience.
Dangote share how e dey handle pressure. He talk say every morning when e reach office, e dey wait for trouble to come. When trouble come, e face am. But when evening reach and e get to his gate, e dey drop all the problems and enter house. He also talk say he dey monitor his blood pressure and dey adjust his schedule when necessary, as health matter for business people.
He yarn say doing business for Nigeria no dey easy, with serious infrastructure deficit, high operating costs and wahala finding affordable long-term financing. Even with all that, he urge entrepreneurs make dem no give up, because success need determination, proper planning and mind wey ready to confront difficult situations. He talk say nothing good for life dey come easy.
He also open up on the Obajana cement plant for Kogi State. He talk say the initial $180 million cost estimate later rise to $1 billion because public infrastructure no dey enough. The company been expect government to provide gas pipeline, fuel facility and power plant, so dem no put money there at first, but when the utilities no come as expected, dem carry the extra burden. He talk say the company go meet International Finance Corporation (IFC) for additional financing. IFC no approve the three-year repayment plan wey dem propose; instead, IFC give seven years, with first two years as moratorium and five years for repayment. He also talk say local bank loans carried interest rates wey reach 40 per cent.
He disclose say Dangote Group dey expand beyond Nigeria, with plan to set up a $2.5 million caprolactam farm and production line for Namibia. He encourage the women make dem think very big, take calculated risks, join industrialisation and no let anybody tell dem say dem no fit do am.
