World: Dangote Cement is preparing to expand its cement production plants beyond the continent of Africa to the Middle East and Latin American countries. The company is optimistic that the planned investment will propel it to be ranked among the top 10 global cement manufacturers.

"We are currently operating in 14 African countries and we shall soon move across the continent to other continents," said Sunday Adondua, deputy general manager of production at the Ibese plant in Nigeria. "By the time we have consolidated our hold in the African markets, we shall go beyond the borders. Specifically, we are targeting the Middle East and Latin America. The idea is to be a world leader in cement production. We are also planning to start a plant in Mauritania and we are also planning projects in Gabon."

The Dangote Ibese plant in Nigeria has undergone recent upgrades, including the construction of new production lines. Lines 3 and 4 will be commissioned by the end of 2014, which will double the plant's cement production capacity to 12Mt/yr. Line 3 is complete and line 4 is 96% complete. As a result of the works, Dangote's three Nigerian cement plants in Ibese, Obajana and Gboko, will have a combined production capacity of 29.2Mt/yr.