Niger: Nigeria’s Dangote Cement has started building a 2.5Mt/yr cement plant at Keita, near Tahoua. The project has a cost of US$275m, according to the Agence France Presse and local media. Construction is expected to last until the end of 2020. The unit will also include a 100MW captive coal-fired power plant.

The new plant is expected to reduce the price of cement locally, as the country mostly imports cement from Nigeria and Benin. Nouvelle Cimenterie de Niger (NCN) has been intermittently building an integrated plant at Malbaza since 2011.

Pakistan: A report issued by the Punjab Anti-Corruption Establishment Lahore (ACE) to the Supreme Court has found irregularities committed by government departments in connection to the setting up of cement plants by DG Khan and Bestway Cement in Chakwal. The investigation followed a probe by the Supreme Court into water usage by cement companies near the Katas Raj Temples, according to the Dawn newspaper. The allegations include a delay by the district government of Chakwal, industries, environment, mine and mineral departments into declaring so-called ‘negative’ areas that would have otherwise prevented the plants being built between 2003 and 2008. Other findings of the report include irregularities into how both companies acquired land and a disregard for environmental protocol.

Nigeria: The Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) says it has received clearance by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for its proposed merger with Kalambaina Cement. Following the merger all of the assets, liabilities, licences and undertakings will be taken over by the CCNN, according to the Punch newspaper. The completion of the proposed merger is subject to the approval of the shareholders of the CCNN and Kalambaina Cement and the final regulatory approvals from SEC, the NSE, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Federal High Court.

India: The proposed merger between OCL India and Dalmia Cement East has been approved by the board of directors of OCL India. Following the amalgamation the company will be known as OCL India.