Brazil: On 21 March 2026 CSN announced that it had signed a binding letter of commitment with a group of banks for a new secured syndicated credit facility of US$1.2bn, with the potential to increase to US$1.4bn. CSN said in a regulatory filing that the measure is part of a broader divestment plan announced in January 2026, and is expected to be secured in part by certain assets designated for divestment, which include the company’s cement production facilities controlled by CSN Cimentos.

The banking syndicate includes Morgan Stanley Senior Funding, Citigroup Global Markets, Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, HSBC Securities (USA), Banco XA, BNP Paribas, Banco do Brasil New York Branch, and Banco Bradesco SA. The subsidiary CSN Inova Ventures will act as the borrower, with CSN and CSN Cimentos serving as guarantors. CSN states that the funds are intended for the refinancing of existing debt and the payment of fees, expenses, and costs related to the loan.

CSN has been working with Morgan Stanley to sell CSN Cimentos. Brazil-based Votorantim and China-based Huaxin Cement are also among the companies in preliminary talks to acquire the cement unit.

Burkina Faso: For several weeks Burkina Faso has been facing a cement shortage that is disrupting the national market and causing price increases. Cement plant managers, speaking on national TV, denounced the situation and called for adherence to regulated prices, which they maintain say remain unchanged at the factory gates.

Kassoum Zampaligré, Director General of CIMFASO and CIMASSO, blamed the shortage on energy shortages. He noted that electricity consumption increased during heatwaves limiting the energy available to industrial users. This, in turn, reduced production at cement plants. He also pinned price increases in the market on ‘fraudulent practices’ by some resellers who were using product scarcity to their advantage.

According to Jacques Amiong, President of the Burkina Faso Cement Manufacturers Association, cement demand grew by 20% between 2024 and 2025, with similar growth expected in 2026. This growth, combined with production constraints, is exacerbating the pressure on the market.

India: Vedanta Group has approached the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), challenging the National Company Law Tribunal’s approval for Adani Group's bid to acquire Jaiprakash Associates for US$1.54bn. Vedanta Group had been in the race to acquire Jaiprakash Associates through an insolvency process. However, Jaiprakash Associate’s lenders approved the resolution plan of Adani Enterprises, as it had offered more than Vedanta, in November 2025. Vedanta’s challenge was scheduled to be heard on 23 March 2026 by a two-member bench comprising Chairperson Justice Ashok Bhushan and Member (Technical) Barun Mitra.

Namibia: Cheetah Cement is reportedly facing the closure of its operations, putting 87 jobs at risk at its integrated plant in Otavi, Otzjozondjupa Region. It has faced sustained financial losses due to import restrictions on cement exported to Botswana and Zimbabwe, combined with a lack of demand in the local market. Cheetah Cement spokesperson Tabby Moyo said that consultations are currently ongoing between the government, the company and the Mineworks Union of Namibia (MUN) to resolve the situation.

MUN unionist Reginald Kock says the union has been notified, and that negotiations will begin on 23 March 2026.“We are talking about 90% of the workforce set to lose jobs, and as a union we cannot allow such a thing to happen. We need to find alternatives,” said Kock.

Cheetah Cement is owned by Whale Rock Cement, a Chinese-owned company that had previously failed to merge Cheetah Cement with Schwenk Namibia in 2025. It reportedly made a loss in each of the past eight financial years since it started clinker production.