Africa’s leading cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc, says it is going to close the demand gap and ensure the availability of cement products across the country through increase in production to boost supply across the country.
According to the new Group Chief Sales and Marketing Director, Dangote Cement, Rabiu Umar, the renewed commitment became necessary as a result of the need to meet the current surge in the demand for cement products in Nigeria.
He noted that the global increase in demand for cement is a fallout of the Covid-19 crisis adding that Nigeria had moved from importing cement to becoming an exporter of the product.
Umar in his statement said, “Nigeria is no exception as a combination of monetary policy changes and low returns from the capital market has resulted in a significant increase in construction activity.
“We got into COVID-19 last year and immediately after that there is a surge in demand and this is not particular to Nigeria alone. A couple of countries across the world are also experiencing the same; Mexico, South East Asia among others.’’
He stated that the company was building up more capacity as it recently invested in a new line that had been completed in its Obajana plant, with the line only waiting for power to commence operations.
He said, “We have a new plant in Okpella in Edo state that is also going to start operation very soon. For the last couple of years one of our plants in Gboko, Benue state has not worked; we have re-started the plant all in a bid to make sure that there is enough production.
