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Tag: Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs

  • Lafarge Africa Honours Trade Partners at the 2025 Customer and Transporter Awards

    Lafarge Africa Honours Trade Partners at the 2025 Customer and Transporter Awards

    Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company and manufacturer of premium cement brands, has celebrated its outstanding trade partners at the 2025 Customer & Transporter Awards held on Saturday, February 21, at the Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

    The colourful ceremony brought together customers, transporters, and key stakeholders including the Honourable Commissioner for Housing, Lagos State, Hon Moruf Akinderu Fatai, the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs, Cross Rivers State, Hon Edema Irom, members of the Board of Lafarge Africa Plc – Mrs. Adenike Ogunlesi, Mrs. Olusola Oworu and Mrs. Elenda Osima-Dokubo, and management and staff of the company, to honour exceptional performance and reinforce the strong partnerships that continue to drive the company’s growth across Nigeria.

    The annual awards ceremony, regarded as the apex of Lafarge Africa’s commercial success, recognizes the invaluable contributions of customers and transporters who ensure the company’s products reach every part of the country. The 2025 edition celebrated partners whose dedication, integrity, and resilience have strengthened the company’s market leadership despite evolving economic realities.

    Elder Ubong Bassey Obot of Ubotex Nigeria Limited emerged the National Volume Champion. Igwe Cosmas Ezeumeh Chizoba of C.C. Umeh and Sons Limited and Chief Etim Effiong Okon of Batoframoje Enterprises secured the titles of first and second runners-up, respectively. As the champion, Ubong Obot received a 2026 Toyota Land Cruiser. C.C. Umeh and Sons Limited and Batoframoje Enterprises were awarded a 2026 Toyota Prado and a 2026 Toyota Fortuner, respectively.

    Additionally, B.I.G MultiQuest Nigeria Limited was recognized as the National Winner- Best Transporter category and was awarded a 2026 Toyota Hilux.  Two customers who emerged as National Growth Champions received 15KVA Generating Sets, while 4 regional champions were rewarded with a Toyota RAV4 each. Other winners received prizes including a Changan CS55, GAC S3, Hyundai Creta cars, 13KVA solar inverters, 80-inch Hisense TVs, and deep freezers, among others.

    Welcoming guests to the event, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, expressed deep appreciation to the partners for their loyalty and commitment to the business.

    Lolu Alade-Akinyemi noted that Lafarge Africa’s growth story would be incomplete without its partners’ market insights, trust, and consistent support. He emphasized that the company would continue to push boundaries in quality, innovation, and high performance, inspired by the strength of its partnerships.

    “We are here to honour partnership. We want to thank our customers for partnering with us in 2025. In 2025, we expanded our retail presence and focused on customer experience. We strengthened our ready-mix business, launched new products including Ecoplanet Elephant and  Ecocrete, our low-carbon cement and concrete solutions, and walked the talk on innovation, using technology as a competitive advantage. We could not have done this without our customers and partners,” he said.

    In his remarks, the Commercial Director of Lafarge Africa Plc, Gbenga Onimowo, described customers and transporters as “trade champions” whose excellence and unwavering belief in the company’s products have sustained the company’s strong position in the market.

    Onimowo stated that their shared values and commitment to growth have created a mutually beneficial relationship built on trust, loyalty, and integrity.

    “You are a vital part of our business, ensuring our products are visible and accessible across the country. Your contribution merits daily appreciation. Tonight’s expression of thanks is special because it gives us the opportunity to celebrate our wins together, in person. While we celebrate tonight’s winners, we acknowledge that every partner here has contributed meaningfully to our success. We believe this recognition will inspire even greater achievements in the year ahead,” he added.

    Also speaking, the Logistics Director, Lafarge Africa Plc, Osaze Aghatise, acknowledged the transporters as the critical bridge between the company and its customers, ensuring efficient distribution and nationwide availability of its innovative building solutions. According to him, the awards serve as both recognition and motivation, encouraging partners to continue raising the bar.

    The ceremony featured the announcement of various award categories, with top-performing partners receiving special recognition for their outstanding contributions. The evening was marked by celebration, networking with celebrities and notable artists, and camaraderie, reflecting the enduring spirit of collaboration that defines Lafarge Africa’s relationship with its trade partners.

  • Lafarge Africa Unveils 2025 Edition of Female Tilers and Block Laying Training

    Lafarge Africa Unveils 2025 Edition of Female Tilers and Block Laying Training

    Lafarge Africa Plc, a leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company, has reaffirmed its commitment to women’s empowerment and inclusion in the construction industry with the commencement of its 2025 Female Tilers and Block Laying Training.

    The initiative, themed “BuildHer by Lafarge,” is designed to equip women from low-income communities in Lagos, Ogun, and Cross River states with technical, entrepreneurial, and financial skills that will enable them to build sustainable livelihoods and thrive in traditionally male-dominated professions.

    The 2025 edition is being implemented in partnership with the state government agencies. The training will be delivered to 100 women across the country with support from the Lagos Ministry of Youth and Social Development, led by the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, and the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund in Lagos state, led by Feyisayo Alayande, Executive Secretary, LSETF. In Ogun State, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, headed by the Honourable Commissioner of Women Affairs & Social Development, Mrs. Adijat Motunrayo Adeleye-Oladapo, supports the initiative. In Cross River State, the programme is delivered in partnership with the Cross River state Ministry of Women Affairs, led by the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Edema Irom.

    The programme, designed for women from low-income communities across the country, offers an intensive eight-week training that combines practical and entrepreneurial skills. Participants will gain hands-on experience in tiling and block-laying using Lafarge Africa’s Supafix and SupaSet products, respectively. Beyond technical expertise, the programme also provides entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and financial literacy classes, equipping women with the tools to build sustainable careers in the construction industry.

    Recognizing the unique challenges faced by women between the ages of 20-45 in low-income communities, Lafarge Africa has designed the programme to ensure inclusivity and support. Participants will receive support that includes transportation, feeding, and access to a creche service for nursing mothers with children under 18 months, enabling them to engage fully in the training without compromising their family responsibilities.

    Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, Group Managing Director/CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc, said, “At Lafarge Africa, we are keen on sustainable female empowerment. With our female tilers and block-laying training program, we are opening doors for women to participate meaningfully in the construction industry while improving their economic independence. We are proud to play a role in breaking barriers, reducing poverty, and creating opportunities for women to contribute to the development of their families, their communities, and our nation.”

    Speaking on the structure of the programme, Viola Graham-Douglas, Director, Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development remarked that the initiative reflects a balance between technical training and broader empowerment.

    “We are raising the next generation of women in construction through this training program. Since 2022 when we deployed the first training, we have trained more than 60 women and are excited for this year’s edition which is bigger and better than previous editions. The programme will culminate in a graduation ceremony, where participants will receive certificates of completion endorsed by Lafarge Africa in partnership with technical institutions, and trade associations. Graduates will also be integrated into the Block Makers and Tilers Association of Nigeria, formally recognizing them as professionals in their field who are open to job opportunities.” She said.

    To ensure sustainability, every graduate will be equipped with start-up tools, and the top ten participants will be specially recognized for outstanding performance.

    Beyond the training, Lafarge will launch a BuildHer Alumni Network, providing a platform for continued mentorship, collaboration, and visibility for programme beneficiaries. A Train the Trainers initiative will also be introduced, ensuring that the impact of the programme can be replicated and scaled across more communities in the years to come.