Personality in Focus
How FCWAMCO is Revolutionalising the Dairy Sector – Langat
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Known in multinational circles as a turnaround business strategist, the Managing Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO and Sub-Saharan Africa Cluster, Ben Langat, has maintained steam in the sustainable dairy breakthroughs that the firm has championed in more than a decade.
Since 2010 and still counting, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has invested over N21 billion in the Nigerian dairy sector even as the dairy giant continues to lead the transformation of the sector. Media visits to the dairy development sites of the firm across several states in the country show how the lives, living and livelihoods of thousands of farmers, their wives and children have gradually upscaled; improving their nutrition, health, earnings and access to child education, among other benefits that had eluded them for decades.
Thriving on its corporate commitment of nourishing Nigerians with quality dairy products, FrieslandCampina WAMCO continues to help solve issues of malnutrition, poverty, herders and farmers’ incessant clashes, as well as promote sustainable dairy practices through intense and creative backward integration.
The company has created over 100,000 employment opportunities, directly and indirectly through on-farm and off-farm activities; improved the livelihood of over 12,000 smallholder dairy farmers and pastoralists, which they have organized into cooperatives and integrated them into FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s fresh milk supply chain, which provides for the local dairy farmers guaranteed incomes and market access all-year round.
FrieslandCampina WAMCO provided access to potable water for communities and livestock with the construction of 109 solar-powered boreholes and proficient extension services for value chain actors; extensive farmer2farmer training where Dutch farmers visit Nigeria to train local farmers on animal health, hygienic milking, and best global dairy practices.
Besides developing productivity and efficiency in farm management, FrieslandCampina WAMCO is the highest off-taker of fresh milk produced locally for manufacturing in Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Kwara and Ondo and have spread their footprints into northern Nigeria as champions of the nation’s march towards a prosperous and self-sufficient dairy industry.
Speaking to the media recently, the eminent dairy management maestro, Langat fielded these questions among others, thus lending credence to the impact his company has made in the dairy sector…
How do you sustain local content for your products?
To grow high milk-yielding cows, you have to put in extra effort like we have been doing for over 12 years. FrieslandCampina WAMCO is the highest off-taker of fresh milk produced locally from five states in Nigeria. Our Yoghurt factories are running on local milk, so we can say we have brands that are 100% Nigerian in our portfolio. However, to be able to meet the total dairy nutrition demands in a country as large as Nigeria, the local milk currently available is still very much inadequate. In my opinion, the model that the country will run will still have a reasonable mix of importation of some of the raw materials, while local content is developed over a period of time.
What impact do your dairy activities have in your host communities?
We are doing all the right things if you look at it from the employment perspective. Among the 12,000 farmers we work with, there are about 1500 Fulani women who had been at home but today, they are productive and are being paid regularly for raw milk and their families are much more prosperous than before – the farmers, their wives and children. In some cases, their mud huts have been rebuilt to brick houses and their children now go to school, which they could not afford before.
How have you dealt with the paucity of Forex and threats of insecurity?
We have had to restrict our Forex needs as much as we can and also source it by any means legal. We sometimes source from commercial banks in addition to whatever the Central Bank is able to make available. Also, some of our service providers are able to source Forex and supply us products in Naira. This invariably means that the cost of raw materials will go up and ultimately affect the retail prices of our products. On insecurity, we have regular conversations with relevant government security agencies. We will never risk the lives of our people. Where we have security challenges around areas where we operate, we pull out for the time being like the case of the Bobi Reserve in Niger State. We had to withdraw from the location due to banditry in order not to risk the lives of our people. We are now in eight states in Nigeria; we work with 23 dairy cooperatives; we collect more than 40,000 litres of milk daily at peak periods and we have best-in-class raw milk quality, one of the best in Africa.
Personality in Focus
NAOSNP Celebrates IGP Disu, Wife on 30th Wedding Anniversary
The National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP) has extended warm congratulations to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, on the occasion of his 30th wedding anniversary with his beautiful wife, Mrs. Mutiat Olufunmilola Disu, describing the milestone as a reflection of the stability and discipline the IGP has brought to both his home and his office.
Mrs. Disu, who doubles as National President of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA), the umbrella body for wives and spouses of police officers nationwide, has been a steady presence alongside her husband through a career that has spanned more than three decades of policing, culminating in his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the nation’s 23rd indigenous Inspector-General in February 2026.
In a statement signed by NAOSNP National President, Mayor Oki O. Samson, the Association described the union as “a partnership that has clearly shaped a man now trusted with the safety of over 200 million Nigerians,” adding that “thirty years of marriage is no small feat, and we join well-wishers across the country in celebrating the IGP and his amiable wife on this golden occasion.”
The Association noted that Mrs. Disu’s leadership of POWA has itself been an extension of her husband’s community-first approach to policing, with the association playing a quiet but consistent role in supporting the welfare of officers’ families across the Force. This is a mission that mirrors IGP Disu’s own emphasis on troop and personnel welfare since assumption of office.
Beyond the celebration, NAOSNP used the opportunity to reflect on what it described as the sterling contributions IGP Disu has made to President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing security architecture reforms in his first six months in office. The Association recalled that the IGP’s appointment came at a pivotal moment in the country’s history, as the Presidency pursued the most far-reaching restructuring of Nigeria’s security institutions since the Civil War. The reforms include the State Police bill now passed by both chambers of the National Assembly, the expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to twelve divisions, and the rollout of the Forest Guard corps.
“IGP Disu has actively complimented the reform agenda of Mr. President Tinubu,” Mayor Oki said. “From his welfare-driven leadership of the rank and file to his insistence on intelligence-led and community-rooted policing which were the same approach that made him a celebrated name at the Lagos RRS, he has shown that the Force under his watch is a willing and capable partner in Mr President’s vision for a secure Nigeria.”
NAOSNP also heaped praises on the IGP for the Force’s professional conduct during the just-concluded Osun State governorship election held on August 15, 2026. The Association noted that IGP Disu personally directed a massive security deployment led by DIG Ishyaku Mohammed to the State. The Police deployment included Police mobile units across all 30 local government areas, air and drone surveillance. The Police also engaged with civil society groups such as Yiaga Africa ahead of the poll to strengthen public trust in the process.
Despite isolated incidents, the election was widely adjudged as peaceful and credible, with candidates across party lines, INEC officials, media and residents commended the professionalism of Police officers on ground. Incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party was declared winner, defeating APC’s Bola Oyebamiji by over 66,000 votes, in a contest that many observers say passed a key credibility test ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Osun has once again proven that when the Police lead with professionalism and neutrality, Nigerians reward that conduct with confidence in the process,” Mayor Oki Samson stated.
NAOSNP concluded its statement by wishing IGP Disu and his wife many more years of marital bliss, and expressing confidence that the same discipline, patience and grace that has sustained their union will continue to guide his stewardship of the Nigeria Police Force in the months ahead.
Personality in Focus
Abductors of Anambra Businessman Demand N1.5bn Ransom
Gunmen who kidnapped the chairman of Jezco Group, Chief Joseph Ezeokafor, have reportedly increased their ransom demand from N700 million to N1.5 billion for his release.
Ezeokafor, a septuagenarian businessman, was reportedly abducted in Anambra State about a week ago.
The kidnappers initially demanded N700 million from the businessman’s family.
Unofficial reports quoting an anonymous source said the kidnappers had established contact with the family after the abduction.
The source said the family accepted the initial N700 million demand as part of efforts to secure Ezeokafor’s release.
However, the kidnappers later increased the ransom to N1.5 billion.
The source said the family remains willing to negotiate with the abductors, but the kidnappers have allegedly stopped further communication.
The development has reportedly left the family in a difficult situation, as attempts to restore contact with the abductors have not yielded results.
Ezeokafor was kidnapped on Tuesday at about 2am after he reportedly left his home for a prayer ground as part of his annual spiritual rejuvenation.
He was said to have left his security details behind when he stepped out of his residence, which the kidnappers capitalized on, to abduct him.
One week after the incident, the police and the State government authorities have yet to make any official statement on the businessman’s abduction.
The Anambra State Police Command has also not publicly commented on the incident.
Personality in Focus
Lessons from Dickem Farms: Two Decades of Pioneering Innovation in Nigeria’s Aquaculture Industry
By Ayo Oyoze Baje
“Our philosophy has always been simple: innovation should solve real problems, create opportunities and improve livelihoods.”
Introduction
For over two decades, Dickem Farms has remained committed to transforming Nigeria’s aquaculture industry through innovation, technology, enterprise development and human capacity building. What began in 1999 as a vision to improve fish production has evolved into one of the country’s respected aquaculture enterprises, recognized for pioneering practical solutions that have strengthened fish farming and empowered the next generation of agripreneurs.
Dickem Farms was the first to introduce mobile fish ponds into the Nigerian market, making fish farming more flexible, affordable and accessible to investors and smallholder farmers. The company also pioneered the local production of a floating fish feed extruder that uses locally available materials, reducing dependence on imported technology while lowering production costs for fish farmers. In addition, Dickem Farms has invested in modern hatchery systems that produce healthy, high-quality fingerlings to support commercial fish production.
Our philosophy has always been simple: innovation should solve real problems, create opportunities and improve livelihoods.
Recent experiences and initiatives
To get more important information about the farm there were questions on the different aspects, starting with the experiences in the past five years. Let us glean from the horse’s mouth. According to the Managing Director, Godwin Emaketenemi, “Over the last five years, we have continued to strengthen our production systems for both catfish and tilapia. Our focus has been on improving fingerling quality, enhancing pond management practices and maintaining strict water-quality monitoring to maximise fish survival and productivity.
“We also introduced better feeding programmes and comprehensive record-keeping systems that enable us to monitor growth performance, feed conversion efficiency and mortality rates.
Rather than pursuing rapid expansion, we have adopted a disciplined strategy of scaling only after achieving consistent operational results.
“This measured approach has enabled Dickem Farms to build a resilient business capable of supplying quality fish and aquaculture services to customers in Lagos and across Nigeria.”
Overcoming challenges:
On the challenges faced and how they were overcome, he stated that: “Like every agricultural enterprise, we have encountered significant challenges. Rising feed costs, unreliable electricity supply and disease management remain major concerns within the aquaculture industry. Instead of allowing these obstacles to limit our growth, we viewed them as opportunities for innovation.
Producing our own quality fish feed has significantly reduced production costs while giving us greater control over feed quality and formulation. We have also improved water-management systems and operational planning to minimize the effects of power instability.
“At the farm level, stronger biosecurity measures, improved hygiene and proactive fish-health monitoring have substantially reduced disease outbreaks and production losses.”
Marketing strategies
With regards to marketing he explained that; “Production alone does not guarantee success; a reliable market is equally important. Dickem Farms has therefore, built long-term relationships with wholesalers, retailers, restaurants and institutional buyers. We grade our fish according to customer specifications and schedule harvesting to coincide with periods of stronger market demand.”
Training programs
Furthermore, with the focus on training he explained that: “Our reputation has been built on dependable supply, consistent quality and customer trust.
One of our proudest achievements is our investment in people. We believe that sustainable agriculture depends not only on technology but also on developing competent professionals and entrepreneurs.
Over the years, Dickem Farms has trained hundreds of staff, industrial attachment (IT) students, graduates and aspiring fish farmers in practical aquaculture.
“Our training covers hatchery management, pond construction and management, fish nutrition, water-quality management, fish-health monitoring, biosecurity and business record-keeping.
More importantly, we do not stop at training. We mentor young graduates and entrepreneurs, providing technical guidance and business support until they are confident enough to establish and successfully manage their own enterprises. Seeing former trainees become successful employers and business owners remains one of our greatest rewards.
“Continuous learning has also shaped our growth. Through partnerships with foreign organisations and technical visits to leading aquaculture companies, we have gained valuable knowledge in modern hatchery technology, fish-health management, production efficiency and operational excellence.”
Government ‘s support
Coming to the need for government’s support he beamed light on it this way:
“These experiences have strengthened our technical capacity and enabled us to transfer global best practices to Nigerian farmers.
Nigeria possesses enormous potential to become a leading aquaculture producer in Africa. However, unlocking that potential requires stronger collaboration between government and the private sector.
We recommend tax exemptions or significant tax incentives for fish farming and aquaculture value-chain businesses to encourage investment.
“Farmers also need affordable financing with realistic repayment terms, reliable access to quality fingerlings, improved energy support and stronger extension services that provide timely technical guidance on fish health and disease prevention. Organized marketing systems that connect producers directly with institutional buyers will further strengthen the industry’s competitiveness.”
Piece of advice to the younger generation:
His piece of advice to young people who might be interested to go into fish farming:
“To young people considering aquaculture as a career or business, my advice is straightforward: seek proper training and find a credible mentor. Fish farming is a science and a business that rewards discipline, knowledge and patience. Begin with manageable investments, keep accurate records, master water-quality management and learn from experienced practitioners before expanding.
“A good mentor can save years of costly mistakes and accelerate the journey to success.”
As the future beckons:
As for plans for the future he highlighted that: “Looking ahead, Dickem Farms will continue to invest in innovation, local technology development, commercial hatchery expansion, fish-feed production, modern aquaculture equipment and practical capacity building. Our ambition is not only to grow our business but also to contribute meaningfully to food security, employment creation and economic development.
Our long-term vision extends beyond Nigeria.
“We believe Africa possesses the resources, talent and entrepreneurial spirit to feed itself and compete globally. Through innovation, strategic partnerships and investment in people, Dickem Farms will continue to play its part in building a modern aquaculture industry that delivers prosperity for farmers, affordable nutrition for families and sustainable growth for the continent.
Our mission remains unwavering: to inspire a future where Africans feed Africa through innovation, enterprise and excellence in agriculture.”
These indeed, are brilliant submissions for us all to learn from now and always.






