Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has praised Nigeria’s rise to become the continent’s top cement exporter, attributing this achievement to significant local production capacity and strategic investments that shifted the country from a major importer to a regional industry leader.
Dangote highlighted that Nigeria, once the world’s second-largest cement importer, now exports more cement than any other African nation, driven by massive expansion in domestic manufacturing.
Speaking at the recent Gates Foundation Goalkeepers event in Nigeria alongside philanthropist Bill Gates, Dangote underscored how focused industrial investment and strong partnerships have reversed longstanding economic challenges.
“Nigeria used to be the second-largest importer of cement in the world,” he said. “Now we export more cement than any other African country.”
Dangote Cement, headquartered in Nigeria, stands as Africa’s largest cement producer with a total installed capacity of 48.6 million tonnes per annum across the continent.
Of this, 32.3 million tonnes per annum are based in Nigeria, while the remaining 16.3 million tonnes are spread over nine other African countries including Tanzania, South Africa, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Republic of Congo, Ghana, Senegal, Zambia, and Sierra Leone.
Reinforcing its position, Dangote Cement announced last year the shipment of seven consignments of clinker, an essential intermediate product in cement manufacturing, from Nigeria to markets in Ghana and Cameroon.
The company reported that clinker exports surged by 87.2 percent in the first quarter of 2024, reaching 264,000 metric tonnes, marking a clear milestone in Nigeria’s transition from an importer to a major exporter within the region.
Clinker, produced by heating limestone and other raw materials in a kiln, is then ground and mixed with gypsum to create finished cement.
This export growth reflects the sustained investments led by Dangote Cement that have enabled Nigeria not only to satisfy domestic demand but also to expand its reach into neighboring markets.
Sources within Dangote Cement suggest clinker exports will continue to rise sharply in the coming months as operations scale up and new African destinations are targeted.
This expansion supports the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), enhancing Nigeria’s role in boosting intra-African trade, particularly within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Dangote’s remarks spotlight the crucial role of local industrial development in transforming Nigeria’s cement industry and its growing influence in Africa’s construction sector.
