Year 2025, NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC began an empowerment of 30 women in their host Community at the Salt Village, Alayabiagba in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Diseye Oba, the Head of Health, Safety, Social Environment, and Sustainability at NASCON, said the organization has to look inward to see what has to be done to better the lots of the host Community, to mitigate such that can undermine Community wellbeing of our host Communities. We encourage resilience in women. These programs are aimed at giving back to our host community as a way to promote sustainability and make a positive impact in these communities.
The HSE Head said, Managing Director Thabo Mabe approved the Women empowerment program because NASCON as a business concern understands the role of women and their ability to multiply things given them and she emphasized the program is important to the Organisation because “This initiative aligns with Nascon’s Sustainability and Social Performance Strategy, underlining our core values of inclusiveness, respect, and community partnership. By investing in women, we’re not only advancing economic equity but also strengthening the foundation of community development for future generations.”
“At Nascon, we believe that empowering women empowers communities. This initiative is our way of creating a lasting impact and enabling the women of our host communities to become active agents of change,” she said.
Joy Esifiho, the Proprietress of God’s Will Fashion House, an experienced instructor who claimed she had trained about a million hands over 16years hands-on Business service, promised the Community women would always be grateful for the opportunity given them.
Ashabi Abdulquadri, operator of Braidsby Ashabest, promises to give her best to ensure the people given by NASCON to learn under her receive the training and succeed in the business that has sustained her since she acquired the knowledge.
Diseye Oba advised, “Resilient women do not abandon their businesses when it is tough, but they re-strategize, so whatever you are doing or being trained in these skills training workshops, entrepreneurship support, education and literacy initiatives, and vocational trainings, soap making, we encourage resilience”.
NASCON is most optimistic that, in doing this at this time of a difficult economic situation in the country, it will help the Community in no small way, and that is why we want to empower 30 women in our host community at the salt village
Fashion design and tailoring, Hair dressing, catering, culinary arts and hospitality training, makeup artistry, soap making, computer skills, and digital literacy, plus one year of business support, are great skills and support that will propel any serious woman in the community, a Community leader said.
The Baale of Alayabiagba Community, His Royal Highness Adeshina Ojora has this to say: I want to thank God for what is happening at my life time, it is not everybody that can do this, the former company that was here can only give our people casual workers opportunity but we ask for more grace to Dangote Organisation for carrying all of us along.
He appealed to the Community not to abuse the opportunity that NASCON Allied Industries is giving the community every year. If you borrow money from lenders, you cannot default, but here, NASCON is not asking for anything but your presence to learn and get your business startup. The royal father declared his interest to learn the computer training package that would be coming forth.
Diseye Oba said,” Our aims are that these programs can empower individuals, especially women and marginalized groups, to improve their socio-economic status because if everybody has a source of livelihood, the economic pressure on families will reduce, and that is why we at NASCON cannot wait to hear your testimonies.”
She said, there are also, as usual, plans for business startups after these trainings, and that is why we reiterate at each occasion that we do not want people who will drop out on the way.
NASCON is interested in social risk Management at our host communities, and that is why we want to strengthen the social support system and foster community resilience, because we know that economic instability, poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to education and IT training can create social risk that can undermine economic stability for our host communities.
That is why we run these programs that can equip individuals with practical skills, enhancing employability and entrepreneurial opportunities.
The Alayabiagba Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman and Secretary, Ajeromi Ifelodun Community Development Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Musa Afolabi, expresses satisfaction with the relationship between NASCON and the Community, describing it as a partnership in progress because the organization wants our people to be self-reliant, and so in their Corporate Social Responsibility, they engage our people.
Over time, there has been a harmonious relationship with the organization and the company; they carry us along, and we put our heads together on every such project implementation. But we want to ask them for a community hall where we can stay to discuss our common interests.
The Community Liaise Officer, Eyitayo Olawunmi, urged the women to take the program very seriously and added that a one-year business support plan is included in the training.
NASCON Allied Industries PLC annually trains people in their host Communities. At Alayabiagba, in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos State, called the ‘Salt Village’, they annually receive empowerment, and new amenities are provided to improve lives in the community.
