Past winners of the Dangote Cement consumer promo have commended the company’s Management for the positive economic and social impact of the promo on their livelihoods and wellbeing.

Some of the winners, who spoke on the impact of the cars and millions of Naira won during the previous seasons, described the promo as a big relief and a crucial palliative that lessened the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which had then shut down the whole world.

More than 450 consumers had emerged either as instant millionaires or owners of brand new car prizes, while others won hundreds of tricycles among other attractive prizes during the Season 1 and Season 2 of the consumer promo.

The star winners across Nigeria who were presented with brand new saloon cars or one million naira as prizes, commended the cement manufacturing giant and its Chairman, Aliko Dangote for transforming their lives for the better.

Some of the excited winners, who were contacted by telephone, recalled how they initially thought it was a dream until they were later presented with their various prizes in the full glare of the public. They said their winnings had enriched their lives and livelihoods, and hailed the sincerity of Dangote Cement in handing over the cars to them.

A winner, Mr. Clement James of Marble Construction, Kaduna State who won a brand new car during the last Dangote Cement promo said the prize has enhanced the profitability of his business.

According to him, the car has assisted his company in marketing Dangote Cement products within and outside Kaduna. “We have been using the car to meet clients and customers’ needs in and around the state. This has further increased our customer base and boosted our profitability,” he stated.

James pointed out that the car gift has showcased Dangote’s interest in human empowerment. “The truth is that the car gift has made people to understand that Dangote is not only interested in making profits, but also highly interested in impacting lives of both customers and consumers of its products.

“Before now, we only hear of how much Dangote contributes to empowerment and we had not experienced it personally. With the Dangote Cement promo, we were able to feel the impact directly. It now boosts the confidence of consumers on the company’s products,” he added.

Another past winner, Emmanuel Boye, Managing Director of Awuley Investment Limited, Abuja said the branded car prize his company won has become a source of advertisement for Dangote Cement and its products as people are now becoming more aware of these quality products.

“The prize has increased customers’ behavior in a positive way. The truth is that many people in our locality now have more confidence in us that we are selling high quality cement products. The branded car has made customers to believe that we are not selling counterfeit re-bagged products because they have seen something to confirm that we are getting the product directly from the company’s factory. So, our sales volume has greatly improved in the past two years,” Boye added.

Apart from the car prizes, some other consumers especially those who won star prizes of a million naira each during the promo said they used the cash to expand their businesses.

Mr. Nsikan Emmanuel from Calabar, Cross River State who was one of the one million Naira prize winners said, “The Dangote Cement sales promotion was a nice technique that attracted consumers to purchase more of Dangote Cement, and they have thus continued to patronise the product. Dangote is the top cement company in Nigeria that produces quality cement at affordable price.”

Another winner, Yahaya Isah Abdullahi from Kano State, said he used his million naira cash prize to expand his business. According to him, he now buys more bags of cement for sale rather than depend on credit grants from distributors. Abdullahi said he has more capital to run his business, all thanks to Dangote Cement and its promo.

For Mr. Edet Udeme of Delta State who also won one million naira, he said he used part of the money to expand his business and another part to purchase a motorcycle for customer contact and product distribution.

He said the motorcycle has enhanced his mobility and enabled him to reach out to more consumers of Dangote Cement products. “I want to thank Dangote Cement for impacting the lives of consumers through the cement promo. It will be good to see more of such promos in the future,” he said.

Speaking on the promos, Group Chief, Branding and Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Ltd, Mr. Anthony Chiejina explained that the company’s decision to launch the promos for the consumer aligns with its vision and mission to enhance the lives of the people by helping to provide their basic needs. “This strategy is in tandem with the quality of our exceptional products, in line with our brand promise”, he said.

According to Chiejina, “The timing of the promo, two years ago, was very strategic, as the world was feeling the pains of the COVID-19 pandemic and the management thought it was good to come to the aid of its loyal customers by rewarding them via the promo.

“When Dangote Cement came out with Bag of Goodies Season 2 themed Spell Dangote and Win a Million Naira promo in 2020, it had one thing in mind, which is to give back to the consumers of the product and impact as many lives as possible.

“Two years after the promo, the company can confidently attest to the fact that it has been able to contribute positively to the lives, wellbeing and businesses of its consumers. The mega promo, which produced hundreds of winners across the country, assisted in mitigating the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on consumers and dealers of Dangote Cement,” Chiejina added.