Dangote Cement, the Nigerian cement giant, has announced the signing of a $1 billion agreement with Chinese company Sinoma Engineering to build new plants and modernise existing facilities across Africa. This massive investment aims to boost the group's total production capacity to 80 million tonnes per year by 2030, thereby strengthening its dominant position on the continent.
The agreement, signed on 28 February, covers 12 separate projects in seven African countries, including Nigeria, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Sierra Leone and Cameroon. Key initiatives include a new integrated production line with a grinding unit in northern Nigeria, an additional line in Ethiopia, and capacity expansions in the other countries mentioned. These developments are part of the group's Vision 2030 strategy, which focuses on strengthening its domestic presence in Nigeria, increasing export volumes and improving operational efficiency.
Despite a slight decline in sales volumes during the first nine months of 2025, Dangote Cement posted strong financial results. Net profit jumped 166.3% to ₦743.3 billion (approximately $539.8 million), while revenue grew 23.2% to ₦3,154 billion, up from ₦2,560 billion in the previous year. These results underscore the company's resilience in the face of economic challenges, including inflation and currency fluctuations in Nigeria.
Aliko Dangote, founder and chairman of the Dangote Group, emphasised the importance of these projects: "These initiatives remain essential to achieving our annual production target of 80 million tonnes. The planned investments will strengthen the company's position in the domestic market, increase export volumes and improve operational efficiency across our operations."
Arvind Pathak, Managing Director of Dangote Cement, said: "This agreement reflects the company's determination to deepen its investments in African markets in order to address cement supply gaps and support the continent's infrastructure ambitions."
Dangote Cement currently operates in ten African countries: Cameroon, Ghana, South Africa, the Republic of Congo, Senegal, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Côte d'Ivoire. Listed on the Lagos Stock Exchange, the company is part of the Dangote Group, one of Africa's largest conglomerates. This expansion comes at a time when the continent is facing growing demand for construction materials, driven by urbanisation and infrastructure projects.
This expansion plan not only consolidates Dangote Cement's leadership in sub-Saharan Africa, but also contributes to job creation and local economic development. With these new investments, the group is positioning itself as a key player in achieving the continent's sustainable development goals, particularly in the construction sector.