The management of Dangote Cement Plc has said that its planned consolidation of the African expansion drive remains on course with the commencement of production of its $150m Cameroon plant in Douala.
The company said in a statement on Tuesday that the commencement of production in the Cameroonian commercial city came in the wake of the inauguration of another 1.5 million tonnes capacity per annum Senegal plant in Pout in January.
The company had last year listed six plants across five African countries for completion this year.
The plants, according to the President and Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote will add about 13.5 million metric tonnes of cement per annum to the existing capacity upon completion.
The plants are located in Zambia, with 1.5mmtpa capacity; Tanzania, 1.5mmtpa; South Africa, 3mmtpa; Republic of Congo, 1.5mmtpa; Gabon, 1.5mmtpa; and Senegal, 1.5mmtpa
Back home in Nigeria, Dangote Cement ramp up capacity, adding third and fourth production lines to the existing 6mmtpa in Ibese, Ogun State, to bring the total capacity to 12mmtpa, and another 3mmtpa line is currently being added to the Obajana Cement Plant in Kogi State.
Dangote told a delegation from Organised Private Sector, who visited him in his office in Lagos, that the 1.5mmtpa plant in Cameroon commenced initial production at one million tonnes per annum before it would be stepped up to the maximum capacity level.
He stated that the Douala plant would revolutionise the cement industry in Cameroon and help stimulate the Western African economy as Dangote Cement would be churning out its 42.5 quality grade of cement at a very competitive price.
Dangote explained that the plant remained the most modern in Cameroon because of the latest technologies used in its construction from Germany, United States and France by the renowned plant engineering firm, Sinoma.
He stated that the company started by importing clinker and that production was being carried out in the most environmental friendly level, pointing out that the dust emission by the plant was lower than the 50mm international standard.
He promised that Dangote Cement as a law abiding organisation would play by the rules of the land and that it would replicate its robust corporate social services in the host community.
On the economic benefit of the plant, Dangote stated that over 1,000 people would be employed directly, while 5,000 others would benefit from the indirect employment to be generated by the production activities of the plant.
