Dangote voted 2020 best company in CSR, infrastructure dev’t

By Kehinde Olatunji
Pan-African Conglomerate, Dangote Group has been adjudged best Company in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by Public Relations professionals in Lagos State, on efforts to help the vulnerable

at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The selection Panel also announced that PR experts in the Lagos State Council of Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) voted the Dangote Group as the ‘Best Company in Infrastructure Development’ in recognition of its work in building roads that endure.

According to the panel, at the 5th Lagos PR Industry Gala and Award (LaPRIGA), held in Lagos recently, Dangote Group beat other nominees comprising notable companies like GTBank Plc, Access Bank Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nigeria LNG and Zenith bank.

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Dangote Group through its Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had led private sector operators to mobilise over N43 billion to help the Federal and state governments to cushion the effect of COVID-19 by building isolation centers, providing testing kits and other sundry medical supplies.

ADF on its own also provided thermal scanners at the airports and helped the government test returning Nigerians, in addition to providing palliatives to the people till date.

The Company had also constructed a concrete road in Apapa axis which it donated as CSR project just as it also built over 40 km Kaaba-Lokoja road to give the people of the area a new lease of life.

Speaking during the event, the Selection Panel Chairman, Muyiwa Akintunde said his team worked with speed to meet the swift deadline, but not at the expense of thorough scrutiny, as the panel relied on available data and credible sources to select the nominees that were later voted for by members of the council.

“We recalled campaigns that delivered impact and resonated well after execution. We identified individuals who recorded exceptional achievements in the marketing communications sector. We considered organisations that recorded outstanding wins. These and other factors led to the panel coming up with a minimum of three nominees in each of the 30 categories that were up for voting.”

Akintunde described all the nominees as winners, because according to him, it is no mean feat to be acknowledged among the top five in a competitive award like LaPRIGA.

“Corporate Social Responsibility Award presented to Dangote for your intervention efforts towards the vulnerable particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, given this day, 19th December, 2020. Also, Best Company in Infrastructure Development presented to Dangote in recognition of your work in building roads that endure, given, this day, 19th December 2020,” the panel chairman noted.

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The Lagos NIPR Chairman, Mr. Segun Mcmedal, explained that having been nominated based on a mix of metrics including company profile, quality of work and its impact and feedback from relevant stakeholders and groups, winners emerged following a vote by public relations professionals in Lagos.

He said the NIPR inaugurated LaPRIGA as a prestigious high profile award dinner that recognises excellence and celebrates practitioners in corporate and pubic organisations to boost professionalism and more investment in the practice.

According to him, the LaPRIGA has somewhat evolved to become communication industry Oscars, adding new colours, dimension and values by recognising best accomplishment in reputation management, relationship management and support for marketing functions. He congratulated the winners and urged them to keep the flag flying as they are now ambassadors of the Institute.

In his remark after the award presentation, Chief Branding and Corporate Communications, Dangote Group, Mr. Tony Chiejina commended the panel for the nomination and the entire members of the NIPR in Lagos for voting Dangote as winner in the two categories. He noted that the feat was an honour that would be cherished forever.

“Winning these awards is not by any means a small feat, considering that NIPR, Lagos Council is the largest of the councils accounting for over 60 per cent of the total PR and communications professionals in the country. These two awards are deserved and well appreciated”, Chiejina added.