Sinotruk chairman visits Dangote truck assembly plant, refinery

By Moses Akaigwe

L-R: Devakumar Edwin, Vice President, Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited; Mr. Wang Zhijian, President Shandong Heavy Industry Group and Chairman of Sinotruk; Aliko Dangote, President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, and Mr. Lan Junjie, Assistant Group President and CEO of Sinotruk Africa, during a visit to Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Fertiliser, Ibeju-Lekki

Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Ltd (DSWAL) has continued to receive very  high-profile guests at its assembly plant in Ikeja, Lagos, since the commissioning of the Completely Knocked Down (CKD) assembly lines in June 2024.

This time, the largest CKD plant in West Africa played host to the Chairman  of Sinotruk and President of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, Mr. Wang  Zhijian and his team, who visited from China.

Hikmat Thapa, Managing Director, Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Ltd, presenting a welcome gift to Mr. Wang Zhijian, President Shandong Heavy Industry Group and Chairman of Sinotruk during visit to Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited, Ikeja, Lagos

Mr. Zhijian’s visit was to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the partnership  with the Dangote Group since establishing the plant which assembles a wide range  of Howo brand of trucks.

He was received at the plant by the  Managing Director of Dangote  Sinotruk West Africa Limited, Mr. Hikmat B. Thapa, who took him to various  sections of the assembly plant.

Thapa stated that the sundry truck models that roll off the DSWAL assembly lines are targeted at satisfying the demands and requirements of the Nigerian market and the larger regional (ECOWAS) market.

Apart from observing operations at the CKD plant, the visitors came to

Nigeria to solidify the relationship between the industries under the Dangote Group and Sinotruk of China. Zhijian and his team, thereafter proceeded to the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex in Ibeju-Lekki, also in Lagos.

At the refinery,  the visitors were welcomed by the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who lauded the collaboration between the two partners.

Also addressing the guests on behalf of Dangote Group, Mr. Devakumar

Edwin, the Vice President Oil and Gas, Dangote Industries Limited, spoke on the progress so far made by the largest refinery in Africa since coming on  stream in 2024.

Though DSWAL started trucks assembly in 2017, the milestone of CKD  assembly was reached in June, 2024, when the Senate President, Senator

Godswill Akpabio, commissioned the new assembly lines in the presence of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, Senators and many other high-profile guests.

Located on Oba Akran Avenue Ikeja, Lagos, Dangote Sinotruk was built to  produce commercial vehicles, covering heavy duty trucks, medium trucks and light trucks.

The truck plant has plans to extend the vehicle line-up with the production of semi-trailers, tankers and related products in order to ensure there is a Howo model for every need in the market.

A joint venture between Dangote Industries and Sinotruk, DSWAL has installed capacity to assemble about 16 trucks per day in one shift, or about

10,000 units annually, even as the management has assured of a commitment to being the first to achieve between 40 and 60 percent local content.