After 21 Years, Gen. TY Danjuma Relaunches Union Dicon Salt to Revive Local Industry
After more than two decades of dormancy, Nigeria’s foremost iodised salt brand, Union Dicon Salt (UDS), has officially returned to the market.
The revival spearheaded by retired General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma (GCON), Chairman of the company.
The relaunch ceremony took place yesterday, at the Kirikiri Light Terminal Phase II, Apapa, Lagos.
A statement by Lt. Christopher Agu, Media Relations Officer, DICON today said General Danjuma was represented by the Director General of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON), Maj Gen BI Alaya.
Speaking at the event, Maj Gen Alaya said the Chairman had given a direct order for the reactivation and expansion of UDS, with the goal of restoring the company’s leadership position in Nigeria’s salt industry. “Gen TY Danjuma tasked me to come up with all requirements for the revival and expansion of UDS,” he said, adding that he was proud of the company’s management for their hard work and resilience.
Maj Gen Alaya, who also oversees DICON — a strategic stakeholder in UDS — described the relaunch as a symbolic moment. “My appointment came at a time both DICON and UDS were rising from the doldrums,” he noted, promising to work hard to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Chairman.
He also challenged the workforce to sustain the momentum and build a better future for the organisation.
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Earlier in her remarks, the Acting Managing Director of UDS, Barrister Mrs. Florence Iroye, expressed appreciation to past and present DICON leadership, Ministry of Defence representatives, board members, and UDS staff.
She recounted the company’s turbulent history, revealing that UDS was once rebranded and went public before its operations ceased in 2004.
“The dream of reviving Union Dicon Salt never died,” Mrs. Iroye said. “It’s been 21 long years of silence, but today, we celebrate a new beginning.” She described the return as emotional, thanking all stakeholders for their teamwork and support.
At the event, Maj Gen Alaya also commissioned the new UDS factory “to the glory of God,” followed by a tour of the facility. Guests visited various sections, including the raw material storage, production lines, and laboratories, where they observed the brand-new machinery and state-of-the-art layout.
Board member Mr. Illiya Sakaba likened the revival of UDS to “a dead man resurrected back to life,” crediting the feat to the vision of Gen Danjuma and the hard work of the management team.
The relaunch was attended by a cross-section of UDS stakeholders — board members, shareholders, contractors, consultants, solicitors, and DICON liaison officers from Lagos — all of whom praised Gen Danjuma’s commitment and enduring contribution to national development through industrial revival.
The event, described as “epoch-making” by attendees, marks the start of what many hope will be a new era for Union Dicon Salt and its role in Nigeria’s food production and industrial landscape.
By PRNigeria
