L-R: Chairman, Sinoma International Engineering Company, Shen Jun; Chairman, Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote; Niger Republic Ambassador to Nigeria, Mansour Daddo; Representative of Zambia High Commission, Lagos Liaison Office, Sipewe Gogo-Peters; Consular General, Chinese Embassy Lagos, Li Yong at the Dangote Cement Plc signing of $4.3B MOU with Sinoma International Engineering Company in Lagos Nigeria
Dangote Cement Plc has expanded its frontiers to Asia, by constructing 3million metric tons per annum (mmtpa), Cement Plant in Nepal, as part of its new investment of $4.34 billion into 10 African countries.
The Chairman, Dangote Cement plc, Aliko Dangote who revealed this at the signing ceremony of the new plants to be constructed, in partnership with Sinoma, a construction firm, renowned for construction of ultra-modern cement plants worldwide, assured Nigerians that, the country will no longer be used as a dumping ground, as the company, now has capacity to export 10 million metric tons of cement outside the country.
Currently in 15 African countries, excluding Kenya, Niger and Mali, which are new projects. The company’s current total capacity stands at 48mmtpa, out of which Nigeria alone has the largest chunk of 29.3mmtpa.
The company will also on Thursday commissioned its new plant in Cameroon with a total capacity of 1.5mmtpa
Chatting with newsmen yesterday after the signing ceremony, Dangote said: “…..We are not only building cement plants in Africa, we have gone far away to NEPAL to build a 3 million metric tons Cement Plant capacity and by the time all these our new projects are completed in the next two years, Dangote Cement will have more than 70 million capacity but we are not going to stop there, hopefully, by 2020, our targets is getting to somewhere around 100 million tons capacity. I can assure you categorically that Africa will not lack cement now and even in the future…Africa will be self -sufficient rather than be a dumping ground for other manufacturers of cement.”
The new Plants for which agreement was signed was on the construction of the following Plants: 3mmtpa in Nepal, 2.5mmtpa in Ethiopia, 3mmtpa in both Kenya 1&2; 1.5mmtpa in Zambia; 1.5mmtpa in Senegal, 1.5mmtpa in Niger, 1.5mmtpa in Mali, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana also have Plants of 1.5mmtpa capacity respectively.
It would be recalled that Dangote Cement recently commissioned its 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) capacity cement plant valued at $400 million with a 30 megawatts coal plant to power the factory.
The project was inaugurated by Zambia President, Edgar Chagwa Lungu, at Masasiti district, Ndola, Zambia.
The event was graced by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and his wife; Tony Elumelu, Chairman UBA Plc; and Chief Kola Jamodu, Chairman Nestle Nigeria Plc; Niyi Adebayo, former Governor Ekiti State, among other VIPs from Nigeria and Zambia.
Speaking at the events, Osinbajo, said the projects was very significant to bilateral relationship that has existed between Nigeria and Zambia.
He lauded the government of Zambia and the people for having approved the projects and nurtured it to completion.
President Lungu also said Zambia has continued enjoying very cordial bilateral relationships with Nigeria over the years, assuring them that his government will continue to encourage private sector initiatives.