Nigeria: Dangote Industries has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) worth over US$800m with China-based Sinoma International Engineering to expand the production capacity of its Itori cement plant in Ogun State from 6Mt/yr to 12Mt/yr. The agreement was signed by the president of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, and the chair of Sinoma, Lin Zhong.

The expansion project is expected to raise Dangote Cement’s production capacity, enabling the company to meet rising domestic demand and expanding exports to African and other international markets. Dangote attributed the decision to expand the Itori facility to the government’s renewed emphasis on using concrete for road construction as well as growing opportunities to supply cement to African countries facing shortages.

“This US$800m investment represents another bold step in our commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base and reinforcing our leadership in Africa’s cement industry,” said Dangote. “The expansion of our Itori plant from 6Mt/yr to 12Mt/yr will not only enhance our ability to meet growing domestic demand, but also significantly increase our export capacity, thereby generating valuable foreign exchange for the country.”

DRC: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has renewed temporary restrictions on imports of cement, clinker and lime in parts of the country as the government steps up efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing and reduce reliance on imported construction materials, according to Business Insider Africa. The policy allows exemptions where local production cannot meet demand, helping to prevent supply shortages. Its success will depend on whether local producers can supply enough materials at competitive prices to reduce the need for imports.

The renewed measures, signed by Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya, continue restrictions on grey cement and clinker imports into the country’s western and southeastern regions, while lime imports remain restricted in the southeast. The policy allows companies to apply for exemptions when locally produced materials cannot adequately meet industrial or consumer demand. Importers seeking waivers must provide documentation validated by SEGUCE-RDC, the country’s foreign trade platform. The decision extends a trade policy first introduced in July 2024, when Kinshasa imposed temporary safeguards to protect domestic cement and lime producers from cheaper imported products while encouraging investment in local production.

UK: Heidelberg Materials UK has said that groundwork is progressing well at its Padeswood site in north Wales, where it is building the UK’s first carbon capture and storage (CCS) facility. More than 60,000t of aggregate has been used to establish the working areas and over 600 concrete piles have already been placed by two piling rigs, as part of the construction of a retaining wall. All of the concrete being used to construct the facility incorporates evoZero carbon captured ‘near-zero’ cement.

“We are delighted with the pace of construction of our Padeswood CCS project and it is great to watch as our plans turn into reality,” said Simon Willis, Heidelberg Materials UK CEO.

“We are using evoZero cement wherever possible to lower the carbon impact of the project and there is a symmetry to using a product produced using CCS to help build the infrastructure for another.”

This phase of the groundwork is being carried out through Worley which, along with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, was awarded the engineering, procurement and construction management contract to build the Padeswood facility. The completed groundwork on site includes installation of newt and security fencing, diversion of overhead powerlines and cables, and removal of 25,000t of topsoil, which has been stockpiled for re-use in reinstatement works on site. Currently, around 80 construction workers are on site each day, which is expected to double by the end of 2026.

The Padeswood facility is designed to capture around 95% of the CO₂ emissions from the existing cement works - around 800,000t/yr once running at full capacity.

India: Tiruchi Corporation has intensified efforts to dispose of non-recyclable plastic waste, aiming to reduce the burden on the city's landfills, according to The Hindu newspaper. Tiruchirappalli generates about 450 - 470t/day of waste, of which nearly 70% is segregated at the source. Waste collected from households and businesses is segregated into different categories, and non-recyclable single-use plastics are sent to Dalmia Cement for use as refuse-derived fuel (RDF) in its cement kilns.

Around 4000t of plastics have been diverted to cement plants for use as fuel since July 2024. 8 - 10t of plastic waste are transported by truck from resource recovery centres in all five zones of the city. So far, about 454 trips have been completed.