The Dangote Group is introducing a truck ownership scheme, whereby 7000 trucks will be provided for eligible Nigerians who wish to become truck officers. The scheme is expected to generate 28 000 jobs, as each officer will hire a driver and a minimum of two assistants per truck, with the trucks delivering cement to Dangote’s distributors across the country.
In a statement, the Dangote Group said that it had 7000 trucks to ‘share with intelligent, hardworking and committed individuals with business acumen’. As well as the truck itself, the entrepreneurs would also receive maintenance support, fuel and other resources.
Applicants wishing to qualify for the scheme should be graduates and ‘professionals’. They must be able to ensure the availability of his or her truck for loading at the plant and unloading at the customer/depot locations. The truck drivers need not be graduates, but would work closely with the officers to ensure a successful delivery strategy.
In order to become an owner of the truck, the truck officer must log a minimum of 400 000 km, upon reaching which goal he or she will be paid a nominal amount, as will the truck driver, for whom the money will represent a discharge payment. Any driver discharged in this way can apply again to work with another truck entrepreneur.
Edited from various sources by Katherine Guenioui
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