By Mohammed Danlami
Business leaders and media heavyweight in Kano State have applauded the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) for what they described as ‘far-reaching and impactful’ interventions in the state.
The commendations are coming against the backdrop of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Foundation and the Kano State Government on the management of the Aliko Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre.
According to the Kano State Government, the ADF will takeover the management of the Aliko Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre for some years.
The multimillion naira Aliko Dangote Skill Acquisition centre at Ganaja, Kogi State has also been completed and slated for commissioning.
In his response, Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Kano-Jigawa Branch, Muhammad Bello Isyaku Umar, said skills acquisition is one of the most effective ways of addressing youth unemployment in Nigeria.
“Programmes such as the Aliko Dangote Skill Acquisition Centre can equip young people with practical skills that enable them to become entrepreneurs, artisans or employees. The emphasis should increasingly be on modern technical, digital and industrial skills,” he said.
He noted that Kano remains the economic and commercial hub of northern Nigeria.
The MAN chairman said the overall impact of ADF interventions in Kano and North is huge, far-reaching and impactful.
“The impact has been significant and broad-based. From healthcare and education to women empowerment, water and poverty alleviation, the Foundation has touched many aspects of people’s lives. What is particularly commendable is that these interventions complement government programmes while directly addressing the needs of vulnerable communities,” he added.
He said MAN has also been one of the beneficiaries of the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) through annual sponsorship of its programmes.
According to him: “We sincerely appreciate Dangote Group for this gesture. It demonstrates a strong commitment to Nigerian manufacturing and to the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. For MAN Kano/Jigawa, it is particularly significant because it strengthens collaboration among indigenous manufacturers, government and major industrial investors. It also sends a powerful message to our over 1,000 members across Kano and Jigawa that Nigerian businesses can support one another in building a stronger industrial economy.”
In his response, a media professional and Managing Director of Radio Kano, Abubakar Adamu, described the intervention as the single most “strategically important areas of partnership for Kano’s future.”
He said: “Kano has a huge youthful population, and the state cannot solve unemployment simply by creating more conventional government jobs. Young people need skills that correspond to actual market demand.”
He added: “One of the strengths of the Aliko Dangote Foundation’s approach is that it has not restricted its interventions to one sector. Its programmes have addressed health, nutrition, education, livelihoods, women empowerment and community development.”
He said the Dangote Group’s support for Radio Kano during its 80th Anniversary celebration added “dignity and momentum to the anniversary, and a significant demonstration of corporate citizenship”
Mr. Adamu added that the “intervention at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital illustrates what an effective public-private partnership can accomplish. Another important example is the Dangote Business School at Bayero University Kano. More recently, it launched a national food intervention programme in Kano in 2025, targeting one million vulnerable Nigerians with food support. The Dangote Micro-Grant Programme was launched in Kano and was subsequently expanded nationally.”
