Dangote Cement to launch Mtwara plant next month

Dar es Salaam. Dangote Cement has announced that it will inaugurate its new 3-million- tonne per annum cement plant in Mtwara on October 10.

The company said it would also hold the grounding breaking for the 25-hectare jetty land at Mgao Village in Mtwara District on the same day.

The plant, according to the statement, is part of the company’s Africa expansion strategy and is the fourth in the series after Ethiopia, Zambia and Cameroun. Other cement plants due for inauguration this year are in Senegal and South Africa, with construction works ongoing in several other African countries.

The statement added: “The ground breaking for the Tanzanian plant was held on May 27, 2013 and within 24 months, the plant is ready for inauguration. With the plant in operation, Tanzania is on its way to become one of the African countries that are self-sufficient in cement production.” Dangote Cement and Guaranty Trust Bank were among Nigerian businesses recognised at the 2015 African Business Awards of the African Business magazine recently.

The award for the 2015 African Business of the Year went to Dangote Cement, owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, who has already unfolded plans to expand cement production in several countries in the continent in anticipation of an infrastructure and construction boom.

Dangote Cement Company is likely to raise profit to a new high at the end of 2015, making up for the drop it suffered last year. Profit may grow by over 40 per cent if the current growth rate is maintained to full year. The cement manufacturing company has maintained strong growth in profit in recent years until last year when sales revenue was flat and profit dropped by about 21 per cent. The company is headed for a strong recovery in profit this year as per the second quarter interim report. Sales revenue is accelerating and a new peak in profit can be expected from the company at full year.