Africa is driving the global pipeline for new cement production, accounting for 42 percent of all cement kilns currently under construction worldwide, according to data from the Global Energy Monitor. While the continent consumes under 5 percent of global energy supplies and represents just 2 percent of global manufacturing output, the surge in cement projects signals a major industrial transition rooted in rapid urbanization and large-scale infrastructure development.
Global Dominance in Cement Plant Construction
Data compiled by the Global Energy Monitor shows that African nations hold a disproportionate share of the world’s active cement expansion. The continent operates approximately 441 million metric tons of annual cement production capacity, representing 8 percent of the global total. However, active construction projects add another 43.3 million tons of annual capacity, while announced plans account for an additional 23 million tons. This pushes total future capacity past 507 million metric tons, or 15 percent of the global total.
Nigeria leads the continent in capacity currently under construction, building 10 million tons and ranking second globally behind only India, according to Reuters data. Egypt holds the largest existing cement capacity footprint in Africa at approximately 88 million tons per year. Meanwhile, 16 different African countries are building new cement kilns, with Libya, Angola, Uganda, Mali, and Mozambique advancing major construction roadmaps.
Corporate Investments and Pan-African Expansion Strategies
Dangote Cement Plc is executing a $1-billion expansion strategy through 2030, which includes upgrading export terminals in Lagos to increase shipments to West and Central African neighbors.
BUA Cement is investing $1.05 billion to reach an 80-million-metric-ton national capacity target by 2030. Under an agreement with China’s Sinoma CBMI, BUA is constructing three new cement plants with a capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum each, which will nearly double its total output capability to 20 million tons annually.
International and regional firms are also altering production methods to lower emissions. In Cameroon, Taiwan Cement Corporation subsidiary CIMPOR completed a 1.2 million-ton cement plant that cuts emissions by 40 percent using calcined clay and cocoa shells for fuel. In Ghana, Heidelberg Materials is building the world’s largest flash calciner.
Kenya’s market is undergoing significant consolidation and multi-billion shilling investments aimed at clinker self-sufficiency. The Devki Group allocated $385 million to construct Kitui County’s first cement and clinker facility in Mwingi North, designed to produce 3 million tonnes of clinker annually from local limestone deposits. Devki is also planning a 1.2-million-ton facility in Kajiado, while Cemtech Ltd builds a $348 million clinker plant in West Pokot.
Industrialization and Surging Electricity Demand
Cement consumption typically serves as an early indicator of industrial growth, preceding broader investments in steel, chemicals, and heavy manufacturing. As African nations construct housing, roads, ports, and factories, the accompanying rise in heavy industrial activity will require substantially more power.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that Africa’s net electricity demand will rise by 10.1 percent, climbing from 799 terawatt-hours in 2025 to 880 terawatt-hours in 2027. This growth is driven by manufacturing, mineral processing, and digital infrastructure such as data centers.
Because many new cement plants are rising in regions that face grid reliability challenges, producers are increasingly investing in captive power generation. Mirroring strategies seen globally—such as Pakistan’s Bestway Cement installing solar farms across five plants to supply over a quarter of its power—African cement manufacturers are evaluating dedicated energy solutions to maintain competitive production costs.
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