At a Glance
- Dangote Cement leads Africa with scale, vertical integration, and aggressive cross-border expansion.
- Global and regional players localize production to meet surging housing and infrastructure demand.
- State-backed and private producers balance policy influence, logistics, and capacity to dominate markets.
Africa’s construction boom has transformed cement from a commodity into a strategic asset.
With rapid urbanization, infrastructural expansion, and rising demand for affordable housing, cement has become central to Africa’s economic growth story.
Leading this industrial wave are a handful of producers whose scale, integration, and market reach make them indispensable players in the continent’s development.
At the forefront is Dangote Cement, a symbol of Nigerian industrial ambition and Africa’s largest cement producer.
Beyond Nigeria, major players like Holcim Group, GICA, and BUA Cement have leveraged regional networks and local resources to dominate markets in North, West, and East Africa.
Meanwhile, state-backed operations such as the Egyptian Armed Forces Cement Operations illustrate the strategic intersection of industry and national policy.
Their strategies reflect a balance between local sourcing, integrated production, and cross-border expansion.
The following profiles by Shore Africa highlight Africa’s ten biggest cement producers, illustrating scale, influence, and market dominance.
1. Dangote Cement
Country: Nigeria
Capacity: about 52 million tonnes per annum (Mta) across Africa
Africa’s cement powerhouse, with a 48.6 million tons per annum capacity, Dangote Cement dominates West Africa and beyond. Led by Aliko Dangote, it benefits from vertical integration, local raw materials, and strategic plant locations, making it a cornerstone of African infrastructure and industrial growth, with plans to expand to 61 Mta by 2026 and aiming for 66.4 Mta by 2030.
2. Holcim Group (Switzerland/Africa)
Capacity: Holcim Group’s installed cement capacity was approximately 26.3 million tons per year.
Holcim operates across multiple African markets with a 26.3 million tons per annum capacity. The Swiss giant combines global expertise with local partnerships, supplying industrial and residential projects while leveraging sustainable production methods to maintain a competitive edge.
3. Groupe GICA
Country: Algeria
Capacity: 20 million tons annually
Algeria’s industrial champion, GICA, produces 20 million tons annually. It serves domestic construction demand and neighboring markets, benefiting from government backing and strong logistics to secure Algeria’s position as a North African cement hub.
4. BUA Cement
Country: Nigeria
Capacity: 17 million tons per annum
BUA Cement has grown through integrated plants in Nigeria, serving both industrial and residential markets. With aggressive expansion, BUA challenges Dangote’s dominance, leveraging efficiency, regional partnerships, and strategic pricing to capture market share.
5. East African Portland Cement
Country: Kenya
East African Portland Cement Company, Kenya’s oldest cement manufacturer based in Athi River, is undergoing upgrades to expand its production capacity toward approximately 1 million tonnes per annum from a lower historical baseline of about 310,000 tonnes/yr, positioning it to better serve regional demand amid infrastructure growth. Kalahari Cement is a strategic investment vehicle backed by Tanzania’s Amsons Group that has rapidly become a major force in East Africa’s cement sector. In 2025, it acquired a significant shareholding in East African Portland Cement (EAPC), and now holds an effective controlling interest after buying down shares from institutional holders.
6. CIMAF (Ciments de l’Afrique)
Country: Morocco
CIMAF produces 16 million tons across West and Central Africa, positioning itself as a regional leader. The Moroccan company focuses on modern plants and strategic exports, capitalizing on Africa’s infrastructure surge and growing urban centers.
7. National Cement Company
Country: Kenya
National Cement is expanding across East Africa, serving Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. It leverages regional demand growth, strategic acquisitions, and efficient production to position itself as a leading player in East Africa’s construction sector.
8. Lafarge Africa
Country: Nigeria
Lafarge Africa, with a 10.5 million tons per annum capacity, combines Nigerian operations with global know-how. It emphasizes sustainability, integrated plants, and partnerships with construction projects to strengthen its foothold in West Africa.
9. Bamburi Cement — East Africa’s Leading Producer
Bamburi Cement is Kenya’s largest cement manufacturer and one of the biggest in Eastern Africa, with a long industrial history dating back to the 1950s. Its flagship plant in Mombasa is among the largest in sub‑Saharan Africa, and the company is significantly expanding capacity with a new clinker plant that could raise annual cement output to around 4 million tonnes once complete. Bamburi’s operations also include ready‑mix concrete and other building solutions, supplying major infrastructure and housing projects across the region
10. PPC Cement
Country: South Africa
PPC is a major cement producer in Southern Africa, supplying domestic markets and regional projects. Its integrated operations, innovation in clinker production, and strategic logistics ensure it remains a pillar of Southern African infrastructure development.
