Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure received a boost on Friday as Dangote Cement Plc commissioned a multimillion-naira cottage hospital in Obajana, Kogi State, to improve access to healthcare for residents and neighbouring communities.

The commissioning ceremony also featured the conferment of traditional chieftaincy titles on several senior company officials in recognition of their contributions to the development of the host community.

The Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement, Arvind Pathak, was installed as the Mayegun of Obajana Kingdom, while the Plant Director of the Obajana Plant, Azad Nawabuddin, received the title of Babagunwa.

The company’s Group Head of Social Performance, Wakeel Olayiwola, was honoured with the title of Adeyanju.

Also honoured were General Manager of Social Performance, Obajana Plant, Ademola Adeyemi, who was installed as the Imokan of Obajana, and Head of Human Resources and Administration, Dangote Packaging Limited, Bashir Uba, who received the title of Eri-Oba of Obajana Kingdom.

Speaking at the event, the Bajana of Obajana Kingdom, Idowi Isenibi, described the completion of the hospital as a long-awaited achievement, assuring that the community would safeguard the facility and ensure it serves its intended purpose.

The Acting Plant Director of Dangote Cement’s Obajana Plant, Panjala Sreedhar, said the project followed extensive consultations with stakeholders, during which healthcare emerged as a priority need for the community.

According to him, the cottage hospital is designed to provide both primary and secondary healthcare services, reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for medical treatment.

He said the facility includes male, female and children’s wards, private wards, consulting rooms, a meeting room, 19 sanitary facilities, digital blood pressure monitoring devices, a dedicated borehole water supply and other essential medical equipment.

Sreedhar expressed confidence that the hospital would improve maternal and child healthcare while strengthening healthcare delivery across Obajana and neighbouring communities.

He added that Dangote Cement has continued to invest in education, healthcare, infrastructure, youth empowerment and livelihood programmes across Obajana, Oyo, Iwaa, Apata and Jakura communities through its corporate social responsibility initiatives.

He also announced additional projects approved by the company, including ICT centres for Oyo and Iwaa communities, electrification projects in Jakura, vocational and skills acquisition programmes for youths, perimeter fencing of the Obajana Cultural Heritage Site and fencing of the UBE Secondary School in Apata.

Sreedhar reaffirmed the company’s commitment to maintaining strong partnerships with its host communities and thanked Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for creating a business-friendly environment that has supported the company’s operations.

Representing the governor, Special Assistant on Corporate Social Responsibility, Paul Sunday, commended Dangote Cement for its sustained investment in community development and urged the company to provide medical personnel for the hospital until local government health workers are deployed.

Chairman of Lokoja Local Government Council, Abdullahi Adamu, described the facility as a significant intervention that would improve healthcare access. He also appealed to the company to continue supporting local vigilante groups to strengthen security in the area.

The Obaro of Kabba and Chairman of the Okun Traditional Council, Solomon Owoniyi, praised Dangote Cement for delivering the project, describing the hospital as an important contribution to community development while encouraging residents to take ownership of the facility through proper maintenance.

Speaking on behalf of the company, Olayiwola attributed the successful delivery of the project to the cordial relationship between Dangote Cement and its host communities. He added that the company had taken note of requests made by stakeholders and disclosed that since 2025, its corporate social responsibility initiatives had been expanded beyond its immediate host communities.

Adeyemi also said additional projects captured under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme and Community Development Agreement would be implemented, adding that the traditional honours bestowed on members of the management team would further motivate the company to deepen its development efforts in the host communities.