The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, yesterday, disclosed that Dangote Cement’s annual production across Africa will climb 61 million metric tons from next year.
This is after the completion of ongoing plant projects in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire and Itori, Ogun State.
Already, he said Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer with 52.0Mta capacity across the continent with almost 70% of the production based in Nigeria.
Dangote disclosed this on Monday during a meeting with Governor Dapo Abiodun in his office in Abeokuta.
He was in the state to inspect the ongoing project, the two new lines of 6.0 million metric tons per annum (Mta) Dangote Cement plant in Itori, Ewekoro LGA of the state.
Dangote said Ogun plays host to the group’s 12Mta Dangote Cement Plant located in Ibese, adding that when the ongoing Itori plant is completed, Ogun State will have a combined capacity of 18Mta, making it the highest cement-producing state or region in Africa.
“On completion, Dangote Cement plants in Ogun State will have a combined capacity of 18Mta, making it the highest cement-producing state or region in Africa. I believe in addition to being known as the Gateway State; it should add another title to its name the Bedrock state.
“With the contributions of other cement producers in the state, Ogun State remains far ahead of other countries across Africa in terms of cement production. Dangote Cement Ibese was commissioned in 2012 and was doubled in size in late 2014.
“In contrast, the first cement plant in South Africa, Pretoria Portland Cement Company Limited started operations in 1892 and today has an installed capacity of about 7.0Mta. All the cement plants in South Africa have a total installed capacity of about 22Mta.
“Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer with 52.0Mta capacity across the continent, of which almost 70% of our production is based in Nigeria.
“Our Obajana plant in Kogi State, Nigeria, is currently the largest in Africa with 16.25Mta of capacity across five lines; Ibese plant in Ogun State has four cement lines with a combined installed capacity of 12Mta; Gboko plant, also in Benue State, has 4Mta; and Okpella plant, in Edo State, has 3Mta.
“By the time we deliver Abidjan and Itori, we will be at 61mm tons per annum next year,” he said.
He promised that the group would do more in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), especially in the construction of concrete roads.
“In Itori, we have signed a Community Development Agreement with the host community with firm commitments to implement projects and programmes that will address their needs and those of neighbouring communities,” he said.
He also disclosed that there are plans by the group to construct Nigeria’s largest port at the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ) in Ogun State.
He told the governor that the group had earlier abandoned its vision of investing in the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ).
The industrialist, however, said due to Abiodun’s policies and investor-friendly environment, Dangote Group will be returning to the OKFTZ.
“We earlier on abandoned our vision of investing in the Olokola Free Trade Zone (OKFTZ), but because of your policies and investor-friendly environment, I want to say we are back and are going to work with the government and return to Olokola and plans are underway to construct the largest port in the country,” he said.
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