Dangote opens $250m cement plant in Cameroon
Dangote Cement yesterday commissioned its 1.5 million metric tonnes Cement plant worth $250 million (N50billion). Construction commenced in cement factory which located at riverine area of commercial city, Douala of Cameroon in September 19, 2011.
Speaking at the commissioning, President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said the plant is the company’s largest greenfield project in a neighboring country.
Dangote pledged to explore other areas where the company can contribute its own quota to the remarkable economic transformation, which is taking place under the government of PresidentPaul Biya.
“This massive economic revolution that is particularly evident in the power sector, infrastructural development, industrial development, and the transportation industry, has impacted positively on businesses. We can attest to this as we have been one of the major beneficiaries, Dangote stated.
Speaking on how investment in Cameroon, Dangote said he was in Cameroon in 2008 but secured the cement site and signed an investment agreement with Cameroon government in 2011.
This investment is not only support the government’s aggressive infrastructural development programme, but also adds value the economy as it has created thousands of jobs, he noted.
He affirmed that plan are afoot towards the commencement of the second phase of the plant, which will see the doubling of its capacity from the current 1.5 million per tones per annum to 3.0 million metric per tones per annum and open additional pozzolana quarry.
He further that the choice of Cameroon for the multi-million dollar investment is strategic saying, Cameroon is the largest economy in the Central Africa and is well endowed with abound ant natural resources. He believed that Dangote investment in Cameroon will further strengthen the bilateral ties between Nigeria and Cameroon.
Commenting on the commission, Cameroon President, Paul Biya, represented by Prime Minister/Head of government, Philemon Yang commended Dangote for extending his investment to Cameroon. He affirmed that the investment would bring turnaround to Cameroon economy by creating more jobs.
Cameroon economic is liberal that welcome foreign investment into the country, he said.
In her remark, Nigeria High Commissioner in Cameroon, Hadiza Mustapha said the plant commissioning will strengthen the existing relationship between the two countries.
She said the Nigerian investments in Cameroon are doing very well and with new window of diplomatic relationship more benefits would be recorded and the investors will feel at home.