The Dangote Group has officially cleared the air regarding a viral claim suggesting that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration collects a massive cut from every bag of cement sold in Nigeria. The rumor, which gained significant traction on social media, alleged that the government earns over five thousand naira from each bag, sparking heated debates among Nigerians concerned about the rising cost of building materials.
The misinformation was spread via a Facebook post that directly attributed the statement to the Chairman of the group, Aliko Dangote. The post claimed that the government takes N52 from every N100 made on cement sales, amounting to an estimated N6,240 per bag. The anonymous author of the post went further to question why the federal government continues to borrow funds despite allegedly raking in such high revenues from the cement industry.
In a swift response to the growing narrative, the Dangote Group took to its official X handle on Wednesday to debunk the claims. The company shared a screenshot of the circulating post and stamped it with a bold “Fake” label. By taking this direct approach, the conglomerate aimed to stall the spread of the false narrative before it could further influence public opinion or market sentiment.
This incident highlights a worrying trend of misinformation currently flooding social media platforms. Industry observers at Zoyols New note that there has been a significant rise in the use of manipulated images and AI-generated content to push specific political and economic agendas. The company’s prompt rebuttal serves as a reminder for the public to remain cautious of sensationalist posts that lack official backing, especially during periods of economic sensitivity.
