Dangote Group The Largest Cement Company In Sub-Saharan Africa

Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer with cement production lines and cement grinding station operating in 10 African Countries. In 2024, the group achieved a total volume of 27.7 million tonnes, reflecting a 1.6% increase from the previous year. Revenue reached ₦3,580.6 billion, marking a substantial growth of 62.2%, while Group EBITDA stood at ₦1,382.0 billion, up by 25.6%. The company’s total production capacity across Africa is 52.0 million tonnes per annum (Mta), with 32.25 Mta of that capacity located in Nigeria. Dangote Cement's influence extends far - reaching, driving construction projects and economic growth in Nigeria Africa.

The History Time Line of Dangote Group:

Before 1981

In 1977, after Mr. Aliko Dangote graduating from the University of Zhar with business major, he borrowed $3,000 from his uncle and started to engage in the retail trade of non-staple food. He bought Thai fragrant rice and Brazilian sugar from international wholesalers, packaged them into small packages and sold them to locals. In less than a year, he became one of the largest traders in the town.

1981-early 1990s

In 1981, Mr. Dangote founded the Dangote Group, which in the beginning focused on cement trade, importing sugar, rice, fishery products and other consumer goods for sale in the Nigerian market, and later on he gradually expanded to the import trade of goods such as steel, baby food and aluminum products. By the early 1990s, the Dangote Group had become one of the largest trading groups in Nigeria.

1990s-early 2000s

In 1989, he entered the manufacturing industry and established a textile factory. In 1997, influenced by the Nigerian government's policy of encouraging agricultural production, Mr. Dangote opened his first factory, producing pasta, sugar, salt, rice and flour. In 1999, Mr. Dangote was inspired by a visit to Brazil and decided to fully transform from a trading business to a manufacturing operation. In 2003, Dangote Group acquired the state-owned cement business held by the Nigerian government and began to build its own cement factory.

Mid-2000s - 2010s

In 2007, after the Obajana cement plant was fully put into production, the cement business revenue increased significantly. In 2008, Sinoma International (Nanjing) signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Dangote Group to help it expand its cement plant in Obajana, Nicogi State. In 2009, Mr. Dangote's cement business revenue reached US$1.2 billion, and Dangote Cement was officially listed in the same year. At the end of 2010, Dangote listed the company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange to finalize its cement investments on the African continent. Since then, the group has invested heavily in cement plants and ports in various African countries, including Senegal, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia and Ghana.

2010s to present

Dangote Group continues to grow its business and developing its cement business. In 2016, it signed a contract with CNOOC Group to install a large underwater offshore pipeline. The group's business covers salt, sugar, flour, fertilizers, construction, mining, real estate and other fields, and new projects are under development in the fields of oil, gas, telecommunications, steel and other fields. Currently, Dangote Group is Africa's leading diversified multinational conglomerate, with more than 18 subsidiaries and operations in 10 African countries.

Timeline of Dangote Cement Plant Developments

Year	Plant & Location
2007	Obajana Cement Plant Line 1 (Kogi State, Nigeria)
2009	Obajana Cement Plant Line 2 (Kogi State, Nigeria)
2011	Ibese Cement Plant Lines 1 & 2 (Ogun State, Nigeria)
2012	Gboko Cement Plant (Benue State, Nigeria) reactivated
2012	Senegal Integrated Plant (Pout)
2012	South Africa (Delmas Grinding Plant)
2013	Obajana Cement Plant Line 3
2014	Ibese Cement Plant Lines 3 & 4
2014	Tanzania Integrated Plant (Mtwara) construction completed
2015	Ethiopia Integrated Plant (Mugher)
2015	Zambia Integrated Plant (Ndola)
2015	Cameroon Grinding Plant (Douala)
2015	Republic of Congo Integrated Plant (Mfila) construction starts
2015	Ghana Import & Bagging Terminal
2016	Obajana Cement Plant Line 4
2017	Republic of Congo Plant operational
2018	Okpella Cement Plant (Edo State, Nigeria) commissioned
2020	Announcement of Itori Plant project (Ogun State, Nigeria)
2021	Côte d’Ivoire Grinding Plant (Yongbon) construction begins
2024	Côte d’Ivoire Plant expected completion
2024	Ghana Grinding Plant completed (0.4 Mta)

How Many Cement Plant Does Dangote Group Have?

As of 2025, according to public data, Dangote Group owns 11 cement production lines and 5 cement grinding plant, the details are listed as follows:

Obajana Cement Plant (Kogi State, Nigeria)

It is one of the largest cement plants in the world, with a total capacity of 16.25 million tons across five production lines. When it opened in 2008, the two production lines had a total capacity of 5 million tons. After the commissioning of Line 3 in 2012, the capacity was expanded to 10.25 million tons. A new production line of 3 million tons was added at the end of 2014 and in 2020.

• Location: Located in Kogi State, Nigeria.
• Raw material reserves: It has 647 million tons of limestone reserves, which is expected to last for about 45 years.
• Transport support: There is a fleet of 2,370 trucks to support transportation.
• Energy supply: Its self-contained power stations are 3 45 MW gas, coal and low pour point fuel oil (LPFO) thermal power plants.

Ibese Plant (Ogun State, Nigeria)

Ibese Cement Plant is located in Ogun State, Nigeria, and is affiliated to the Dangote Group. The cement plant was built by China National Materials International Engineering Co., Ltd. (Nanjing) in an EPC general contracting mode. It opened in February 2012 and mainly supplies the Lagos and southwestern Nigeria markets.

• Location: Located in Ogun State (not Benue State), Nigeria, serving Lagos and the southwestern market.
• Capacity: 6 million tons when it was commissioned in 2012, and doubled to 12 million tons at the end of 2014.
• Raw material reserves: 1.15 billion tons of limestone, enough for about 78 years.
• Transport support: There are 1,488 cement transport trucks.
• Energy supply: The captive power station is 3 37MW gas, coal and diesel dual-fuel power plants.

Gboko Plant (Benue State, Nigeria)

The Gboko Cement Plant is located in Gboko, Benue State, Nigeria, and is a plant owned by Dangote Cement Plc. Commissioned in 2007, it is Dangote Cement's oldest plant in Nigeria and the smallest of its plants in Nigeria, with a designed production capacity of 4 million tons/year. However, due to industry challenges such as oversupply in the cement market, the cement plant has been temporarily shut down or operated at half capacity on several occasions. According to Dangote's 2021 annual report, the plant has resumed production. In September 2023, Dangote Cement announced plans to cut fossil fuel use in all its cement plants by 25% by 2025, and plans to install alternative fuel (AF) feeding systems for all operating production lines by 2024.

• Location: Located in Benue State, Nigeria.
• Capacity: With a capacity of 4 million tons, it is Dangote's smallest cement plant in Nigeria.
• Raw material reserves: It has 133 million tons of limestone reserves, enough for more than 30 years.
• Transport support: There are 800 trucks for transportation.
• Energy supply: Due to its distance from the national natural gas infrastructure, it was originally designed to run the kiln using low pour point fuel oil (LPFO) and diesel for electricity generation. It was later shut down in November 2014 and converted to run entirely on coal to improve profitability.

Okpella Plant (Edo State, Nigeria)

On April 12, 2016, the chairman of Dangote Group obtained a loan of US$2 billion from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and announced the construction of a US$1 billion, two-production line, 6 million ton cement plant in Okpella, Edo State. In 2021, the plant was completed and ready for production. The Okpella plant has a designed capacity of 6 million tons of cement per year and is one of the largest cement production bases in Nigeria. Its completion will help meet the demand for cement in Nigeria and surrounding areas.

• Area: Covering an area of ​​1,000 hectares, it is large in scale
• Geographical location: Located in Okpella, northern Edo State, Nigeria, next to the Benin-Abuja Expressway, Dangote Cement Company has also built a 7.5-kilometer-long road to connect the factory to the expressway.
• Self-contained power plant: In order to ensure stable power supply for production, the Okpella plant has built a 60-megawatt self-contained power plant
• Production capacity: The Okpella plant has a designed capacity of 6 million tons of cement per year and a 6 million tons/year cement production line. Its production capacity has an important influence in Nigeria and surrounding areas
• Creating employment opportunities: During the construction and operation process, the Okpella plant has provided a large number of employment opportunities for local residents. According to statistics, about 1,500 local workers were involved during the construction of the factory, and after full operation, no less than 6,000 people will be employed

Itori Plant (Ogun State, Nigeria)

The Itori Cement Plant, located in Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria, is a new cement plant with an annual production capacity of 6 million tons being built by Dangote Industrial Limited (DIL). The cement plant is expected to be completed in November 2026 and will become Dangote's fourth new cement plant in Nigeria after the Obajana Cement Plant, Ibesi Cement Plant and Okpera Cement Plant. The cement plant is part of a larger investment by Dangote in Ogun State, which also includes the construction of a new port in the Olokola Free Trade Zone.

• Location: Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area, Ogun State, Nigeria.
• Capacity: 6 Mta cement production.
• Construction: The plant will be built on 533 hectares of land and will have two production lines.
• Completion Date: Expected to be completed by November 2026.
• Total Capacity: The Itori plant, along with Dangote's existing Ibese plant (12 Mta), will bring the total cement production capacity in Ogun State to 18 Mta.
• Significance: This project is part of a larger investment by Dangote, including plans for a large port at the Olokola Free Trade Zone, which is expected to be the largest port in Nigeria.

Dangote Tanzania Mtwara Cement Production Line

Located in Mtwara (about 400 km from Dar es Salaam), the dangote cement plant has an annual production capacity of 3 million tons and was put into operation in December 2015. It is the largest cement plant in Tanzania. The plant has about 500 million tons of limestone reserves, which can support 149 years of mining. It can produce a large amount of high-quality 32.5 and 42.5 grades of cement to meet local market demand at very competitive prices and can also be sold to surrounding overseas markets by sea. Tanzania has a population of about 42 million and an annual per capita cement consumption of about 50 kg, which is far below the global average and low in Africa. Tanzania's economy is expected to grow at a rate of 7.0% in the next five years, driven by the development of manufacturing, mining and tourism industries. The steady improvement of the economy has led to a strong rise in cement demand, and its development prospects continue to be positive given the linear relationship between economic growth and cement consumption.

• Location: Located in Mtwara District, Tanzania.
• Capacity: 3 million tons.
• Company Profile: A subsidiary of Dangote Cement, established in December 2015, it only produces cement, with 32.5R and 42.5R ordinary Portland cement sold in 50 kg bags.
• Energy Supply: The company has applied to build a 75 MW coal-fired power plant near the factory to provide reliable electricity to the factory and surrounding communities.

Dangote Ethiopia Addis Ababa Cement Plant

Dangote 2.5Mta plant, is about 90km from Addis Ababa, was built in May 2015. It has rich limestone reserves of 225 million tonnes, it is the largest cement plant in Ethiopia and is able to produce high-quality PO32.5 and PO42.5-grade cements to meet market needs.

• Time and location of commissioning: It was commissioned in May 2015, less than 90 kilometers from Addis Ababa.
• Scale and capacity: With an annual capacity of 2.5 million tons, it is the largest cement plant in Ethiopia.
• Raw material reserves: It has about 223 million tons of high-quality limestone reserves.
• Products: It can produce high-quality 32.5 and 42.5 grade cement, and also launched "Dangote 3X Cement" (42.5R grade), 50 kg package, emphasizing "super strong, super durable, super high output".
• Muger Cement Plant Expansion: Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holding Company jointly announced an investment of US$400 million to restart the second production line of Muger Cement Plant within the next 30 months. After the expansion, the annual production capacity will be increased from 2.5 million tons to 5 million tons.
• New cement grinding plant: It is planned to build a new cement grinding plant with an annual production capacity of 3 million tons near Addis Ababa to further consolidate its position in the Ethiopian cement market. After the above expansion project is completed, Dangote Group's total cement production capacity in Africa will reach 55 million tons per year.

Dangote South Africa Aganang Cement Plant (North-West Province)

The cement plant in Aganang, North-West Province, South Africa, is the main operating plant of Sephaku Cement, a joint venture between Dangote Cement and Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Sephaku Holdings.

• Capacity: An integrated cement plant with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tonnes.
• Location: Located near Lichtenburg in the North West Province of South Africa.
• Commissioning related: Owns an open-pit limestone mine with a reserve of 100 million tonnes, and has clinker and cement production facilities.
• Product for own use: Utilizes 45% of its own clinker to produce bagged and bulk cement.
• Co-production: The remaining 55% of clinker is shipped to the Delmas plant in Mpumalanga. The Delmas plant has a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes and is a grinding-only plant. It mixes clinker supplied by Aganan with fly ash produced by Sepaku’s fly ash grading plant near Eskom’s Kendal Power Station to produce bagged and bulk cement of various grades suitable for the inland market around Johannesburg.

Republic of Congo (near Mfila)

Dangote's 1.5Mta cement plant near Mfila is the largest ever opened in congo. Situated on the road between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville, the plant is ideally located to replace imports and serve key cement demand centers in and around the capital.

• Capacity: An integrated cement plant with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tonnes.
• Location: Located near Lichtenburg in the North West Province of South Africa.
• Commissioning related: Owns an open-pit limestone mine with a reserve of 100 million tonnes, and has clinker and cement production facilities.
• Product for own use: Utilizes 45% of its own clinker to produce bagged and bulk cement.
• Co-production: The remaining 55% of clinker is shipped to the Delmas plant in Mpumalanga. The Delmas plant has a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes and is a grinding-only plant. It mixes clinker supplied by Aganan with fly ash produced by Sepaku’s fly ash grading plant near Eskom’s Kendal Power Station to produce bagged and bulk cement of various grades suitable for the inland market around Johannesburg.

Senegal (Pout) Dangote Cement

Dangote's 1.5Mta factory in Pout, about 60km from Dakar, was commissioned at the end of December 2014. Before dangote entry the Senegal market there was almost entirely made up of 32.5-grade cement. Dangote's plant produces 42.5-grade cement to offer the Senegal market higher quality cement at a competitive price, which the construction industry urgently needs. With rich and abundant limestone reserves of 300 million tonnes, Senegal is a long-term strategic resource, given the general lack of limestone along the coast of West Africa. With a population of 16 million, Senegal has good prospects for economic growth. The country has all the raw materials to produce enough cement and export to other countries in the ECOWAS trading zone. Dangote Cement’s investment is one of the biggest foreign direct investments by an African company in Senegal which is an indication of its strong belief in the future growth of its economy.

• Location: Located in the Pout region of Senegal, about 75 km east of Dakar.
• Capacity: Annual capacity of 1.5 million tons, clinker design capacity of 4,000 tons/day.
• Investment: It is the largest single investment by Africans in Senegal, costing $310 million.
• Products: It produces 42.5 grade high-quality cement, which is exported to neighboring countries such as Mali and Gambia by rail, and is also planned to be exported to Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Zambia (Ndola)

Dangote's 1.5mta plant in Ndola, 271km from Lusaka, opened in the second quarter of 2015. The plant produces 42.5 - grade cement to compete against the lower - grade but dominant 32.5 products in the market. Besides selling into local markets in the Copperbelt region, it exports cement to the mining regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Sustained economic growth will drive per - capita consumption upward from around 64kg at present.The plant has reserves of more than 240 million tonnes of limestone.

• Location and commissioning time: Located in Ndola, 271 kilometers from Lusaka, it was put into operation in the second quarter of 2015.
• Capacity: 1.5 million tons per year.
• Raw material reserves: It has more than 240 million tons of limestone reserves.
• Products: It mainly produces 42.5 grade cement, and also launched "Dangote 3X Cement" (42.5R grade), 50 kg package, emphasizing "super strong, super durable, super high output".
• Market: In addition to supplying the local market in the Copperbelt region, it also exports to mining areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
• Corporate Social Responsibility: In October 2023, it donated 1,200 bags (60 metric tons) of cement to Ndola Teaching Hospital to help the hospital build a 1.4-kilometer concrete road and parking lot, and provided technical support. It is expected that the road infrastructure will last at least 50 years.

Cameroon (Douala)

In Cameroon, Dangote 1.5Mta cement grinding facility, with a dedicated jetty for offloading clinker directly to the plant in Douala, opened in March 2015 as the first new entrant in Cameroon’s cement market in 40 years. Currently, they import clinker from third - party suppliers. In time, they plan to import clinker from their factories in Nigeria, which will guarantee a higher - quality material. In Cameroon, clinker is ground with the local pozzolana additives and the primary product is bagged 42.5 - grade cement.

• Commissioning time and capacity: Commissioned in March 2015, it is the first new player in Cameroon's cement market in 40 years, with a cement grinding facility capacity of 1.5 million tons/year (1.5Mta).
• Location and facilities: Located in Douala, with a dedicated terminal for direct clinker unloading to the factory.
• Raw material supply: Currently importing clinker from third-party suppliers, and plans to import from Dangote's factory in Nigeria in the future to ensure higher quality raw material supply. In Cameroon, clinker will be ground with local pozzolan additives.
• Product type: The main product is bagged 42.5 grade cement. The pioneering launch of 42.5R grade "Dangote 3X Cement", "3X" stands for "Xtra strong, Xtra life, Xtra yield", each bag of 50 kg, is the first in Nigeria. In addition to improving brand quality, this product is also intended to prevent building collapse caused by the use of low-grade cement. Builders and contractors prefer it because of its high strength and quick drying time. One bag of Dangote 3X cement, grade 42.5R, is equivalent to one and a half bags of ordinary cement.

South Africa (Delmas, Mpumalanga)

Dangote Cement has entered into a joint venture with JSE - listed Sephaku Holdings to build and manage Sephaku Cement in South Africa. Dangote Cement owns 64% of the project, while Sephaku Holdings owns the remaining shares.

• Capacity: 1.5 million tonnes per year.
• Nature and process: It is a grinding plant that grinds clinker supplied by Aganang with fly ash produced by Sephaku's fly ash grading plant at Kendal Power Station (approximately 35 km east of Delmas).
• Location: Located in Mpumalanga Province, approximately 60 km east of Johannesburg.
• Product supply: It can produce various grades of cement in bags and bulk to supply the core inland markets around Johannesburg.
• Technology: It uses modern technology and has lower production costs than many competitors with a history of more than 25 years.
• Service and logistics: It participates in the market with excellent customer service and logistics capabilities. In addition, Aganang is the main production base of Sephaku Cement, located near Lichtenburg in the North West Province, with an annual production capacity of 1.8 million tonnes and an open-pit limestone mine with reserves of 100 million tonnes. Of the clinker it produces, 45% is used to produce bagged and bulk cement itself, and 55% is shipped to the Delmas grinding plant to be processed into cement.

Ghana

Dangote Cement has been operating in Ghana since 2011, importing and bagging bulk cement at its terminal in Tema and selling it to the domestic market. The terminal was recently upgraded and has a capacity to handle up to 1.5 million tonnes of bulk cement per year. The company also has a 400,000 tonne per year cement grinding plant in Ghana, which was completed in July 2023. Dangote Cement's operations in Ghana are part of its pan-African business to reduce the need for imported cement from outside the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.

• Operation history: Entered the Ghanaian market in 2010, breaking the long-standing local monopoly and introducing a variety of high-quality cement products. Since 2011, bulk cement import and bagging business has been carried out at the Tema terminal, and the products are sold to the domestic market of Ghana.
• Capacity and facilities; The Tema operation site currently has an annual production capacity of 1.2 million tons and employs about 1,300 local employees. It is planned to build a new grinding plant in Takoradi with an annual production capacity of about 500,000 tons to meet the growing demand of the local area. The upgrade of the Tema operation site is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. If necessary, the production capacity can be supplemented by other production bases in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region.
• Product features: Dangote 3X Cement (42.5R grade) is launched in 50 kg bags. "3X" means "Xtra strong, Xtra life, Xtra yield". It can prevent building collapse caused by using low-grade cement. It has high strength and dries quickly. It is favored by builders and contractors. One bag of this cement is equivalent to one and a half bags of ordinary cement. There are also grades such as 32.5R CEM II and 52.5 CEM I. 32.5R CEM II has a lower clinker content and is added with pumice and gypsum. It is suitable for plastering, low-rise buildings, masonry projects, etc. 52.5 CEM I is suitable for large infrastructure construction such as bridges and dams.

Côte d’Ivoire

Dangote Cement Plc is building a large cement grinding plant in Côte d’Ivoire to strengthen its presence in West Africa. The grinding plant is located next to the new industrial park in Yongbang City near Abidjan and covers an area of ​​more than 60 hectares. It is planned to have two production lines, each with an annual capacity of 1.5 million tons, and an overall annual capacity of 3 million tons per annum (MTPA). Once completed, it is expected to more than double Côte d’Ivoire’s cement production capacity. The project is expected to invest $200 million and take 18 months. Once completed, it will create more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and strongly promote local economic development. To ensure the level of operation, Dangote will arrange Nigerian experts to train local labor. The project is undertaken by Indian engineering company Ayoki Fabricon and German ThyssenKrupp is involved in the construction as a subcontractor.

Sierra Leone dangote cement plant

Dangote Cement Sierra Leone became operational in early 2017, establishing an import and bagging terminal with a handling capacity of 500,000 tonnes per year at Queen Elizabeth II Port in Freetown. Dangote Cement's 700,000 tonne/year import terminal in Freetown became operational in the first quarter of 2017, providing high-quality imported cement to the local area. Sierra Leone is currently a small cement importer, but the country has been experiencing good growth due to the development of its mining industry and is investing in infrastructure to support resource extraction. The country has a population of 6.1 million and a low per capita consumption of 56 kg, suggesting that there is still room for growth as the economy begins to recover from the Ebola crisis. Despite challenges such as tight supply and volatile transportation costs, Dangote Cement Sierra Leone sold 127,000 tonnes of cement in 2022, contributing to the country's infrastructure construction.

• Location: Queen Elizabeth II Port, Cline Town, Freetown, Sierra Leone
• Facility Type: Import and bagging terminal
• Operational Since: First quarter of 2017
• Installed Capacity: 0.5 million tonnes per annum
• 2022 Sales Volume: 127,000 tonnes
• Contact Information: Sales Manager – Mahak Panwar Phone: +232 3001 6011 Email: panwar.mahak@dangote.com

Dangote Cement Market Share Report in sub-saharan African Countries

Dangote Cement has production operations in 10 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, with an annual production capacity of 51.6 million tons. In Nigeria, it is estimated that the market share is more than 60%, with a production capacity of 35.3 million tons, and it occupies a dominant position; Tanzania's market share is 28%, with a production capacity of 3 million tons; South Africa's market share is not announced, with a production capacity of 2.8 million tons; Ethiopia and Cameroon's market share are both 34%, with production capacities of 2.5 million tons and 1.5 million tons respectively; Congo's market share is 53%, with a production capacity of 1.5 million tons; Senegal's market share is 20%, with a production capacity of 1.5 million tons; Zambia's market share is 30%, with a production capacity of 1.5 million tons; Ghana's market share is 5%, with a production capacity of 1.5 million tons; Sierra Leone's market share is 25%, with a production capacity of 500,000 tons. It can be seen that Dangote Cement's market share varies greatly in different countries. It occupies a higher market share in some countries such as Nigeria and Congo, and a relatively low share in Ghana and other countries.

Frequently Asked Question About Dangote Group: