Dangote Cement Plc, Africa’s largest cement producer, is launching a US$336 million blending plant in Botswana to expand its footprint to 12 African nations and reduce dependence on struggling South African operations.
Announced by newly appointed Chairman Emmanuel Ikazoboh at the Nigerian Exchange Group, the move targets rising cement imports into South Africa – up 18 percent to 979,000 tonnes in 2023 despite import restrictions on state projects. With cheap cement flooding the market from Vietnam, Pakistan, and the UAE, local producers warn of job losses and plant closures.
Botswana, with a population of 2.4 million and a government push to curb imports, offers a strategic foothold. The new plant will blend imported clinker into finished cement, lowering logistics costs, enhancing margins, and positioning Dangote to export regionally as demand surges.
The expansion follows a US$400 million investment to revive Ethiopia’s Mugher plant and comes as Dangote Cement – valued at US$5.93 billion and producing 52 million tonnes annually – solidifies dominance across Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, and beyond.
