Kenya: The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has said that cement demand in Kenya will rise by 7-8%/yr as the economy expands and the government advances its Affordable Housing Programme to build 1 million homes.
Tomasz Pawelec from UNIDO’s Net Zero Partnership for Industrial Decarbonisation (NZP-ID) said “Low carbon production processes are cheaper to install and run than expansion of traditional systems. Using these processes will also set companies up to seize new market opportunities as low-carbon cements become the norm. Boosting cement production usually means large investments in new clinker lines, but it’s totally viable to increase cement production by using smaller-scale solutions, like adding clay-based inputs, rather than building entirely new facilities. This approach allows companies to produce more cement with less clinker, reduce emissions, and avoid huge upfront costs - helping meet market demand more sustainably.”
The NZP-ID recently facilitated a workshop in Nairobi and a visit to Meru University of Science and Technology, home to a specialised laboratory under its Institute of Cement and Concrete, which focuses on limestone calcined clay cement (LC3). This cement allows up to 60% of clinker content in cement to be replaced without compromising strength or durability, reducing emissions by up to 40%. To help local cement producers explore low-carbon solutions and secure investments, the NZP-ID, in collaboration with the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, will launch a call for expressions of interest. The call will invite producers to propose ideas for developing low-carbon cement production processes.
Pawelec added “We will offer technical assistance to design investments, for example, pre-feasibility studies. The idea is to help companies demonstrate that their low-carbon projects are feasible, offer good returns, and have short payback periods, thereby attracting investors and expanding a company’s ability to produce low-carbon cement.”
