- $177 million investment to boost Côte d’Ivoire’s infrastructure
- Dangote Cement expands African footprint with 11th plant
ABIDJAN, CÔTE D’IVOIRE – Dangote Cement, a subsidiary of the Nigerian conglomerate founded by billionaire Aliko Dangote, has begun operations in Côte d’Ivoire with a new cement plant capable of producing 3 million tonnes annually.
The $177 million facility, located in Attingué about 30 kilometres from Abidjan, marks the 11th African country to host a Dangote Cement production unit. The company said the project aligns with its vision to make Africa self-sufficient and less dependent on imports by transforming local resources into world-class finished products.
Covering an area of 50 hectares, the Attingué plant is among the group’s largest facilities.
“The group, which has a total capacity of 55 million tonnes per year on the continent, intends to contribute to the development of Ivorian infrastructure and meet the growing demand for construction materials, driven by rapid urbanisation and major construction projects in the country,” the company said in a statement.
Boosting jobs and regional trade
The plant is expected to create more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs, providing a lift for young Ivorians and local small and medium-sized enterprises in sectors such as transport, construction, and retail.
Serge Gbotta, Managing Director of Dangote Cement Côte d’Ivoire, said the company aims to deliver “locally produced cement with an international standard, at a competitive price.”
Beyond industrial operations, the company pledged several community initiatives in the Attingué area, including new access roads, water supply projects, and support for local health facilities. These commitments, the company said, reflect its dedication to “sustainable and inclusive development,” in collaboration with local authorities and NGOs.
Economist Ayodele Shittu of the University of Lagos noted that the investment could help advance the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agenda.
“Dangote establishing this plant in Côte d’Ivoire will open the gate of opportunity for trade among African countries. This is a Nigerian investing in Ivory Coast, another African country,” he told Allen Dreyfus in an interview on Sunday.
“Obviously, if the tenets of AfCFTA are well entrenched, then we would have the production of cement in Africa for Africans,” he added, calling it a pathway to “homegrown job creation and sustained business expansion in Africa.”
Back in Nigeria, Shittu argued that the venture should count as part of “Nigeria’s Foreign Outward Investment,” though he expressed doubt that it would be recognised. “This is one concept that is yet to be captured in Nigeria’s dictionary of economic concepts,” he said.
A broader industrial push
The launch comes a week after the Dangote Group announced plans to build a three-million-tonne-per-year urea fertiliser plant, underscoring its growing industrial footprint across the continent.
Dangote Cement already operates plants in Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa, Zambia, Congo and Ethiopia — where its Mugher plant, running for over a decade, is being expanded with an additional $400 million investment.
Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer, is preparing for a presidential election on October 25, 2025 — an event expected to influence the pace of economic development and infrastructure spending in the West African nation.
