VeryDarkMan: 1,500 Dangote Cement truck drivers undergo medical screening
No fewer than 1,500 Dangote Cement truck drivers have undergone intensive screening exercises to confirm their mental, psychological and physical fitness for safe driving, PulseNets learnt. The company’s Group Managing Director, Arvind Pathak, disclosed the figure to journalists after his presentation at the 2025 Annual Drivers Retreat in Ilaro, Ogun State.
PulseNets has established that the renewed and more rigorous checks follow a public outcry after a recent Auchi, Edo State road crash involving one of the company’s trucks and Ruth Otabor, sister of Big Brother Naija winner Phyna. Social media critic VeryDarkMan quickly amplified the story online, calling for answers and justice, a wave of attention that put road safety and truck-driver standards back at the top of the national conversation. Dangote Group has since publicly engaged with the family and pledged support for the injured woman.
The Dangote Cement boss said, “Every driver employed by Dangote Cement is required to undergo an extensive and rigorously structured recruitment process that includes: valid driving licence Class G, background verification of both the driver and their guarantors, comprehensive medical evaluation, including vision screening (eye test), blood pressure checks, BMI body mass index, RBS random blood sugar test as well as drug and alcohol testing.”
Pathak told journalists and PulseNets learnt that “in the past two months alone, over 1,500 prospective drivers have successfully completed this process. Only those who met all required standards were engaged and certified to operate any Dangote Group vehicles. Our commitment to safety extends beyond recruitment. All drivers undergo mandatory pre-trip medical assessments, conducted by licensed nurses and doctors.”
PulseNets reported that the company’s stepped-up approach came amid heightened scrutiny after the Auchi incident. Media and eyewitness footage circulated online, and VeryDarkMan’s interventions drew further attention to alleged lapses by heavy-vehicle operators, prompting Dangote Group to move publicly and to re-emphasize internal controls and driver vetting. The Group’s statement confirmed senior officials visited the victim and her family and engaged with law enforcement and insurers following the crash.
Mr Pathak stated that the management of Dangote Cement Plc was irrevocably committed to training and retraining drivers to ensure safe and smooth operations across Nigeria’s highways. He emphasised that as a leading cement manufacturer with thousands of trucks in its fleet, road safety remained the company’s priority.
PulseNets also reported details of the company’s recruitment and post-hire regime: checks for substance use cover a three-month detection window to identify recent use before employment, recruits complete a two-week intensive training programme made up of twelve safety modules, practical driving assessments and written examinations, and drivers are subject to routine pre-trip medical checks.
He stated, “Dangote is a responsible organisation that consistently cooperates with the Nigeria Police and other relevant authorities in the investigation of reported incidents with support of all lawful processes, aimed at establishing the facts and routinely implementing recommendations that strengthen public safety.”
Also Read: Phyna’s Sister: Dangote Group Promises Full Support and Compensation Dangote Cement truck Accidents
By linking an intensified screening regime to a high-profile crash that ignited online outrage and by reiterating cooperation with regulators and victims, Dangote Cement has sought to show the public it is taking concrete steps to reduce road incidents involving heavy vehicles. PulseNets will continue to follow developments and report any official updates from the company, law enforcement and the family involved.
