Displaying items by tag: Middle East and Africa

Chad: Chad has been experiencing a cement shortage for several weeks, according to Tchad Infos. This has reportedly led to a rise in prices.

The Minister of Trade and Industry said "This situation is due to difficulties in supplying raw materials essential to the production of cement, in particular clinker, which must be transported by rail. Since 17 February 2025, an incident on the Camrail railway line in Cameroon has delayed deliveries. The orders, unloaded at the port of Douala due to the absence of a seafront for our country, could not be transported on time."

Nigeria: Dangote Cement has recorded total sales of US$2.4bn in 2024, an increase of 62% year-on-year. This was reportedly driven primarily by cement and clinker sales in Nigeria, which contributed 57% of total sales. Its pre-tax profit grew by 32% to US$489m. The company's pan-African operations also recorded strong growth with sales up by 57% to US$934m. However, total sales volume rose by only 1.6%, indicating that sales expansion was driven by higher pricing rather than volume growth.

The cost of sales rose by 64% to US$1.1bn, largely due to higher raw material and fuel expenses, which accounted for over 67% of total costs. Operating profit rose by 57% to US$767m.

Kenya: At least 99kg of heroin and cocaine worth US$2.3m were destroyed at the Bamburi Cement Mombasa plant, at the request of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Kenya, according to a social media post from the company. Bamburi Cement’s kiln was selected as the most secure method for incinerating the seized narcotics.

“Our kilns co-process waste and convert it into energy, reducing CO₂ emissions and supporting a clean circular economy. We are proud to contribute to this public interest solution that has eliminated a threat posed to our fellow Kenyans,” said Sustainability & Geocycle Director Jane Wangari.

Bamburi Cement has previously collaborated with multi-agency teams to dispose of over 5000t of hazardous waste imported into the country at its Mombasa facility.

Burkina Faso: Freight forwarder Fracht Group has delivered cement plant equipment to a new plant being built in Burkina Faso. It delivered a cement mill shell weighing 76t, which was transported alongside an additional 1024t worth of accessories.

Nigeria: Lafarge Africa reported a profit after tax of US$67m for the 2024 financial year, up by 96% from the US$34.3m recorded in 2023. The cement producer saw its sales rise by 72% to US$468m in 2024 from US$272m in the previous year. According to its audited financial statements filed on the Nigeria Exchange, Lafarge Africa's performance was driven by higher sales volume and improved pricing strategies, despite prevailing macroeconomic challenges.

The company's gross profit rose by 68% to US$233m from US$139m in 2023. Its operating profit stood at US$130m, up by 89% from the US$68.6m recorded in 2023.

Libya: The Libya Africa Investment Portfolio (LAIP) reported that its Misrata cement plant project will move forward, following the committee’s eighth meeting, reports the Libya Herald. The project aims to produce 2Mt/yr in the first phase, rising to 4Mt/yr in the second phase in order to satisfy the demands of the local market, according to economic feasibility studies prepared for the project. The meeting confirmed that the quantity of raw materials is sufficient to operate the plant for at least 50 years. The project has been suspended since 2012, with completion at around 32%. China-based Sinoma Yuhan will construct the plant.

Morocco: Cement sales rose by 14% month-on-month to 1.28Mt in January 2025, according to the Ministry of National Land Planning, Urbanism, Housing, and City Policy. The ministry said in its monthly report that sales directed to distribution reached 707,000t.

Egypt: Sinai Cement has appointed Wael Abdrabbou as Head of Finance.

Abdrabbou has worked in financial management roles at the subsidiary of France-based Vicat since 2020. Before this he held accounting roles for the bags unit of Lafarge Egypt from 2004. He eventually became the division’s Chief Accountant from 2014 to 2020. Abdrabbou holds an accounting degree from Mansoura University and a master of business administration from the Arab Academy For Banking And Financial Science.

Türkiye: Medcem Cement has appointed Emre Karabulut as Group Manager of Information Technologies and Digitalisation. He has worked in information management roles at Medcem Cement for over a decade. Prior to this he held software engineering positions with chemicals manufacturer Organik Kimya and various software companies.

Nigeria: The Lagos State government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Lafarge Africa for the collection of non-recyclable combustible waste from across the state and landfill sites for conversion into alternative fuel at Lafarge’s Ewekoro plant.

Lafarge Africa CEO Lolu Alade-Akinyemi said “We have successfully deployed waste-to-energy solutions globally, and today, we are extending that expertise to Lagos.”