Ajaokuta Steel Company Will Work, New MD Assures Nigerians

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

New Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ajaokuta Steel Company, Professor AndulsalamNaeem, has assured that the steel company will work again, rekindling hope of resuscitating the company widely believed to hold the key to Nigeria’s industrial revolution.  

Naeem gave the assurance at a grand reception ceremony organised in his honour by the people of his AyegunleGbede community in IjumuLokoja Government Area of Kogi State.

He explained that the company had been abandoned for a long time.

The managing director declared that the long-awaited revival of the steel plant will happen under the current administration.

he stated, “Ajaokuta will work in our time. I have received a firm assurance from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of his full support for the revival of Ajaokuta Steel Company, and with that backing, I am confident we will succeed.”

The Ajaokuta Steel Plant, one of Nigeria’s most ambitious industrial projects, had been stalled for decades, despite its strategic role in the country’s industrialisation goals.

However, Naeem’s leadership brings renewed energy and direction to the long-abandoned facility.

Naeememphasised that the plant’s revitalisation was not just about steel production, but also about fulfilling a national dream, one that promised massive job creation, industrial development, and economic diversification.

He stressed that a comprehensive technical audit of the plant was currently underway to identify and address priority areas for rehabilitation and activation.

Naeem said, “With the president’s support and the cooperation of all stakeholders, we are determined to make Ajaokuta a beacon of industrial transformation. This is not just a federal government project, it is a legacy for the Nigerian people.”

Naeem called on Kogi State citizens, particularly the host communities, to support the administration’s efforts in ensuring a peaceful and cooperative environment for the success of the project.

The grand reception served not only as a celebration of his appointment, but also as a rallying call for collective effort to bring Ajaokuta Steel Company back to life.