The Cement Manufacturers Have Set an Output Growth of 56.25 Per Cent to 20 Million Tonnes

For the first time in history, Nigeria from the beginning of this year stopped importation of cement as supply by local manufacturers surpassed the needs of the local market. Engr Joseph Makoju, who led a delegation of cement manufacturers on an official visit to the Ministry of Works last week said with improved investments in plant and other operational inputs, the country which has a total installed capacity of about 28 million tonnes yearly can now look for the export markets for exploration in cement sales. In fact, the cement manufacturers have set an output growth of 56.25 per cent to 20 million tonnes this year, up from about 12.8 million last year. The projected output is about 2.5 million tonnes more than the current local demand of about 17.5 million. Makoju therefore proposed the use of cement as a major input for road projects, adding that extensive researches carried out by cement manufacturers showed that asphalt used to have cost-benefit advantage over cement in road construction materials, but cement now could offers the country a better mileage in road projects cost as well as durability. In 2002 total local cement production was only two million tonnes and in that year we were talking about of a local demand of eight million. Importation was at its peak, around 2007 six and seven million tonnes. As we are speaking here today, I am happy to report that last year, total local production has gone to 12.8 million tonnes in 2011 from two million in 2002 and as we are meeting here today, we are projecting that total local production this year will be 19-20 million tonnes, he said. The total local demand is projected at 17 million tonnes. So, the local production is in excess of local demand. I am so happy to say that for the first time in our history, from January till date there has been no importation of cement into the country. We are now in a situation of where we don t need to depend on imports but on local production. The total installed capacity, when you put all the total local production together today, we have 28 million tonnes of installed capacity. So, Nigeria has arrived to be recognised as a cement producing country. Now, that is why we believe that this success story can be leveraged to impact on another problem area of the country, which are bad roads. Everybody knows the state of our roads which as the Permanent Secretary has said, is a network of 34, 000 kilometres and practically all of them in asphalt and we have done our home works and found out that cement could be used in road construction. Source: uaecement