Dangote Cement Plc, Africa’s largest cement producer, is set to commission its new 3 million metric tonnes per annum (Mta) grinding plant in Côte d’Ivoire by the third quarter of 2025. The development marks a major milestone in the company’s pan-African expansion strategy and underscores its commitment to regional trade integration.
This was disclosed by the Group Managing Director and CEO of Dangote Cement, Arvind Pathak, in a corporate announcement filed with the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) on Wednesday.
“Export volumes from Nigeria increased by 18.2%, with 18 successful clinker shipments made to Ghana and Cameroon,” Pathak said. “This demonstrates the growing importance of our pan-African footprint and our ongoing commitment to regional trade and self-sufficiency.”
Strategic Expansion Across Africa
The new Côte d’Ivoire facility, once operational, will deepen Dangote’s presence in francophone West Africa and strengthen supply chains across the region. This brings the company’s total footprint to over 52Mta of installed cement capacity spread across 10 African countries, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, and South Africa.
With the addition of the Ivorian plant, Dangote Cement will further consolidate its position as a major player not just in Nigeria, but in the broader ECOWAS market supporting regional industrialisation efforts and reducing dependence on imports.
“We continue to make strategic investments that enhance our production capabilities and logistics infrastructure across the continent,” Pathak noted.
Financial Performance: Resilience and Record Profit
The company’s second-quarter financials revealed robust growth, driven by operational efficiency, regional exports, and cost-saving initiatives. Dangote Cement’s Group EBITDA surged by 41.8% to ₦944.9 billion, while Group profit leapt by 174.1%, showing significant returns on its long-term capital projects.
According to Pathak, this performance was fueled by the company’s “disciplined execution, strong cost leadership, and sustained focus on value creation.”
Notably, the company is undertaking a phased rollout of 1,600 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks, a major step toward cutting transportation costs and improving environmental sustainability in line with global energy transition trends.
Leading the Path to Industrial Self-Sufficiency
Dangote Cement has been instrumental in transforming Nigeria from a net importer to a self-sufficient producer and exporter of cement and clinker. Its flagship Obajana plant in Kogi State the largest cement facility in Africa boasts an installed capacity of 16.25Mta across five production lines.
Other major operations in Nigeria include:
- Ibese plant (Ogun State): 12Mta across four lines
- Gboko plant (Benue State): 4Mta
- Okpella plant (Edo State): 3Mta
Across Africa, the company also operates grinding and production plants in:
- Cameroon (1.5Mta grinding)
- Ghana (2.0Mta import and grinding)
- Congo (1.5Mta)
- Ethiopia (2.5Mta)
- Senegal (1.5Mta)
- Sierra Leone (0.5Mta import)
- South Africa (2.8Mta)
- Tanzania (3.0Mta)
- Zambia (1.5Mta)
Market Outlook: Optimism Amid Reforms
The cement giant’s expansion aligns with broader African goals to stimulate infrastructure development, intra-African trade, and industrial diversification, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). With Nigeria’s FX liquidity gradually stabilising and government-backed reforms gathering pace, Dangote Cement appears well-positioned to leverage the emerging opportunities.
Analysts at Meristem Securities noted that the company’s capital investments in cleaner energy logistics and regional integration will “likely enhance operational resilience and margin stability going forward.”
As the company ramps up its exports and commissioning activities in Côte d’Ivoire, it is expected to play a vital role in both regional economic recovery and Africa’s industrialisation drive.
