Dangote cement commissions $500-million plant in Ethiopia

Dangote Cement Plc on Thursday commissioned its 2.5 million metric tonnes cement plant in Ethiopia, as the company inches towards the mark of 62 million metric tonnes total production capacity globally before the end of 2017.

Located in Mugher District, about 85 kilometres from Addis Ababa, the capital city, there are indications that the government and the people of Ethiopia are excited about the completion of the project and the economic prospects of having such a huge company in that area of the country.

According to the group, the plant will initially produce 2.5 million metric tonnes a year to meet up with the growing market, as construction boom in the country has led to a shortage of cement in the country.

The plant was commissioned by Haile Mariam Desalegne, the Ethiopian prime minister, at an event graced by high-ranking Ethiopian government officials and top members of the Nigerian business community.

Nigerian guests were flown to Ethiopia on Wednesday, June 3 to witness the event and would be brought back to Nigeria on Friday, June 6.

The Dangote Cement plant in Ethiopia will be the fifth in the series of offshore plants of the company that have rolled out cement within the last one year on the continent, coming after Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa and Zambia.

Recently, its $300 million Greenfield cement plant in Senegal rolled products into the market in that country, with the Senegalese government promising all assistance required for the plant to perform maximally as its entry into the Senegal has stirred up economic activities.

Nine other countries are on the card as the cement plants are in various stages of construction as the company is investing $5 billion to build an African cement empire, with factories plants in 14 African countries.