Dangote Cement
Corporate brand
UnclaimedNigeria's largest cement producer and one of Africa's leading cement manufacturers.
Last updated August 27, 2026
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Overview
Dangote Cement Plc is a Nigerian publicly traded cement manufacturer and distributor headquartered in Lagos. It is a subsidiary of Dangote Group and developed from Obajana Cement Plc, a company incorporated in 1992. The business adopted the Dangote Cement name in July 2010 and was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in October of the same year. Its public-market profile made it one of the most significant listed industrial companies in Nigeria and connected the cement business directly with the wider Dangote industrial group. The company manufactures, prepares, imports, packages and distributes cement and related products. Its activities cover the production of cement and clinker, the operation of integrated cement plants and import terminals, and the movement of finished building materials to construction markets. Nigeria is its principal operating base, while its broader African network has included facilities or terminals in several other countries. The company has been positioned around large-scale domestic production, regional distribution and the development of manufacturing capacity intended to reduce dependence on imported cement. Its main Nigerian assets include the Obajana plant in Kogi State, the Ibese plant in Ogun State and the Gboko plant in Benue State. Obajana has been described as one of the largest cement plants in sub-Saharan Africa, while Ibese became a major addition to the group’s Nigerian production footprint after opening in 2012. The company also expanded outside Nigeria, with cement plants in Senegal and Tanzania opening in 2015 and an Ethiopian plant becoming part of its African operating network. These international operations exposed the business to both regional growth opportunities and country-specific risks, including civil unrest in Ethiopia. Dangote Cement’s growth has been closely associated with the industrial expansion strategy of Dangote Group and with substantial investment in Nigerian manufacturing. The company’s operations require limestone and other raw materials, large-scale kiln and grinding systems, power and transport infrastructure, packaging, import logistics and distribution channels. Its products serve construction contractors, distributors, infrastructure projects and other users of cement. Product references include cement grades such as 42.5R and 32.5R, although product availability and specifications can vary by market. The company has also faced governance and political scrutiny. In 2022, the Kogi State government closed the Obajana plant during a dispute concerning ownership of the underlying cement business and plant, as well as tax-related issues. Dangote Industries disputed the state’s position and stated that it had acquired the Obajana cement-company shares in 2002, obtained the relevant land interests in 2003 and funded the plant’s design, construction and machinery. The dispute illustrated the regulatory, ownership and public-policy issues that can accompany major industrial assets. Dangote Cement remains one of the most prominent African cement brands, combining a Nigerian industrial identity with a multinational African operating model. Its importance rests on its scale, its role in domestic cement supply, its position within Dangote Group and its contribution to the group’s broader manufacturing portfolio.
History
Dangote Cement originated with Obajana Cement Plc, incorporated in 1992. The business later became part of the industrial expansion associated with Dangote Group and was transformed from a Nigerian cement project into a larger manufacturing and distribution platform. The Obajana operation in Kogi State became the company’s central industrial asset. Dangote Industries stated that it acquired the shares of the Obajana cement business in 2002, acquired the land on which the plant was built in 2003 and subsequently took responsibility for the plant’s conception, design, construction and machinery. These claims later became central to a dispute with the Kogi State government. The company’s Nigerian capacity expanded substantially during the late 2000s and early 2010s. Dangote Group invested heavily in the cement business, and cement represented the dominant part of group activity around 2011. The Ibese plant in Ogun State opened in 2012 after a reported investment of approximately one billion US dollars. Installed by the Chinese engineering company Sinoma, the facility was presented as one of Nigeria’s major non-oil industrial investments and increased Dangote Cement’s production capacity significantly. The Gboko plant in Benue State also formed part of the company’s Nigerian manufacturing base, with expansion plans reported during the early 2010s. In July 2010, Obajana Cement Plc changed its name to Dangote Cement Plc. The company subsequently listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in October 2010. Its listing gave investors exposure to one of Nigeria’s largest industrial businesses and helped establish Dangote Cement as a major listed company in the country. By August 2014, it was reported to represent a substantial share of the exchange’s total market capitalization. In the same year, the Investment Corporation of Dubai acquired a 300 million US dollar stake, according to the cited reference material. Dangote Cement then pursued a broader African expansion. Plants in Senegal and Tanzania opened in 2015, and an Ethiopian operation became part of the group’s international network during the same period. Expansion created a regional platform serving markets beyond Nigeria, but the company also encountered operating risks in its host countries. The Ethiopian business faced threats associated with civil unrest in 2017 and civil war in 2021. The Obajana asset became the subject of renewed public controversy in 2022, when the Kogi State government closed the plant. The state raised ownership and tax-payment concerns, while Dangote Industries maintained that the acquisition, land transactions, compensation and construction arrangements were legally valid. The dispute concerned an economically important facility and one of the major taxpayers in the state. It also demonstrated the dependence of large cement plants on relationships among industrial companies, state authorities, landowners and local communities. Across its development, Dangote Cement has evolved from a Nigerian cement venture into a publicly traded African manufacturer with integrated plants, import and distribution capabilities, and operations in multiple countries. Its history is defined by name consolidation, heavy investment in domestic production, stock-market access, regional expansion and recurring interaction with public authorities over industrial assets and regulation.
- 2022
Obajana plant is closed during a state dispute
[1]Kogi State closed the Obajana plant amid an ownership and tax-related dispute with Dangote Industries.
- 2015
Senegal and Tanzania plants open
[1]The company expanded its African manufacturing footprint with plants in Senegal and Tanzania.
- 2014
Investment Corporation of Dubai acquires a stake
[1]The Investment Corporation of Dubai purchased a reported 300 million US dollar stake in Dangote Cement.
- 2012
Ibese plant opens
[1]A major cement plant opened at Ibese in Ogun State, expanding Nigerian production capacity.
- 2010
The company adopts the Dangote Cement name
[1]Obajana Cement Plc changed its name to Dangote Cement Plc in July.
- 2010
Dangote Cement is listed in Nigeria
[1]The company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in October.
- 2003
Land for the Obajana plant is acquired
[1]Dangote Industries stated that it acquired the property on which the Obajana plant was built and obtained certificates of occupancy after compensating landowners.
- 2002
Obajana cement business shares are acquired
[1]Dangote Industries stated that it acquired the shares of the Obajana cement business during this period.
- 1992
Obajana Cement Plc is incorporated
[1]The company that later became Dangote Cement was incorporated as Obajana Cement Plc.
Products and positioning
A large-scale African cement manufacturer positioned around production capacity, domestic supply, regional distribution and industrial quality.
Cement
Dangote Cement 42.5R
A referenced Dangote cement grade marketed for construction use. The supplied reference material identifies the grade as one of the company’s flagship offerings, but does not provide a complete technical specification or a market-by-market product description.
Cement
Dangote Cement 32.5R
A referenced Dangote cement grade sold within the company’s cement portfolio. The available source material does not establish a precise launch date or provide detailed technical specifications for this grade.
Intermediate cement material
Cement clinker
Clinker is an intermediate material produced in cement manufacturing and may be handled within Dangote Cement’s integrated production and distribution activities. The supplied reference material identifies clinker-related operations but does not enumerate branded clinker products.
Controversies
2022
Obajana plant ownership and tax dispute
Kogi State authorities closed the Obajana cement plant while questioning Dangote Industries’ ownership position and tax payments. Dangote Industries responded that it had legally acquired the cement-company shares and land, compensated landowners, obtained certificates of occupancy and financed the plant’s development. The supplied reference does not establish a final judicial resolution.
Brand decisions
2015
Expansion into additional African marketsStrategyBackground
After building a substantial Nigerian manufacturing base, Dangote Cement pursued a multinational African operating model.
Action taken
The company opened plants in Senegal and Tanzania and operated an Ethiopian plant as part of its wider African network.
Aftermath
The expansion broadened the company’s geographic reach while exposing operations to country-specific political and security risks.
2012
Commissioning of the Ibese cement plantProduct launchBackground
Dangote Cement sought to expand domestic Nigerian manufacturing capacity and strengthen supply from locally based plants.
Action taken
The company opened a major cement facility at Ibese in Ogun State.
Aftermath
The plant increased the company’s Nigerian production footprint and was described as a major non-oil industrial investment.
Reported plant investment. Approximately US$1 billion (2012)
2010
Consolidation under the Dangote Cement brandStrategyBackground
The company had operated as Obajana Cement Plc while developing its Nigerian cement business.
Action taken
It changed its corporate name to Dangote Cement Plc in July 2010.
Aftermath
The renamed company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange later that year, giving the cement business a unified brand and public-market identity.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Dangote Cement rolls out more than 2,000 distribution trucks[3]
Dangote Cement rolled out more than 2,000 trucks for distribution services, including trucks, trailers, bulk tankers, tippers and cargo trucks.
- Unconfirmed
Dangote Cement reports first-quarter 2020 results[4]
Dangote Cement reported first-quarter 2020 EBITDA of US$293 million, up 2.2% year-on-year, and sales of US$639 million, up 3.8%. Cement sales volumes fell 0.6%, amid a suspension of its South African operations from late March due to the coronavirus lockdown.
- Unconfirmed
Dangote Cement announces CEO succession[5]
Dangote Cement said Joseph Makoju would retire effective January 31, 2020, and that the board had approved Michel Puchercos as his replacement, effective February 1, 2020.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Joseph Makoju retires from Dangote Cement leadership roles[6]
Joseph Makoju retired from Dangote Cement's board and from his role as group managing director and CEO.
Reported
Dangote Cement appoints Michel Puchercos as CEO[6]
Dangote Cement appointed Michel Puchercos as its new CEO. He is scheduled to take up the position on February 1, 2020.
Reported
Dangote Cement announces CEO retirement[7]
Dangote Cement announced that Group Managing Director and CEO Joseph Makoju would retire effective January 31, 2020.
Sources9 sources
- 1Dangote Cementen.wikipedia.org
- 2Dangote Cement official websitedangotecement.com
- 3Dangote Cement投入使用逾2,000辆配送卡车thisdaylive.com
- 4Dangote Cement公布2020年第一季度业绩globalcement.com
- 5Dangote Cement宣布首席执行官交接安排thisdaylive.com
- 6Joseph Makoju 退休并卸任 Dangote Cement 职务cemnet.com
- 7Dangote Cement宣布董事总经理兼首席执行官退休appablog.wordpress.com
- 8Dangote cement acquires 2,000 new vehicles for $150 million to boost distributionnairametrics.com
- 9Dangote Cement appoints new DG MD/CEOpunchng.com
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