Dangote installs cameras on CNG trucks, recertifies drivers to curb road crashes

Dangote Cement Plc has intensified efforts to ensure road safety by installing cameras across its fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks and introducing stricter requirements for truck drivers.

The company is currently conducting the recertification and screening of all its drivers at the Obajana Plant in Kogi State, in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Head of Transport, Mr. Murilo Silva, told journalists that new applicants must be at least 23 years old, possess a minimum of five years of driving experience, and hold a valid Class G driver’s license. Candidates are also subjected to medical evaluations, drug and alcohol tests, and criminal background checks.

Silva added that driver training and safety monitoring have been scaled up, with participation in monthly training programmes rising by 60%, drug and alcohol testing by 40%, and pre-trip inspections by 74% this year.

To further strengthen safety, the company has built a multi-million-naira Pre-Trip Inspection Bay, staffed with engineers and mechanics, and a Drivers’ Rest House at Obajana to help drivers recover between trips.

Divisional Head of Transport, Mr. Hemant Rana, said Dangote has also developed monitoring systems, a Drivers Help Desk, and a Control Department to track driver behaviour and provide support while on trips.

The Dangote Articulated Trucks Drivers Training School (DATDTS), described as the first of its kind in Nigeria, offers courses in defensive driving, truck handling, road signs, maintenance technology, civic education, and health sciences. The programmes are run in partnership with FRSC.

Manager of DATDTS, Mr. Daniel Marcus Akuso, said the school is central to the company’s vision of professionalising truck driving in the country.

Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak, disclosed that no fewer than 1,500 drivers have so far undergone comprehensive screening covering mental, psychological, and physical fitness, including eye tests, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body mass index checks.

Pathak stressed that the rigorous recruitment and recertification process is aimed at achieving Dangote’s “zero tolerance for road crashes” policy and ensuring the safety of both its drivers and other road users.