The President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has said that the investment-friendly policies of Governor Dapo Abiodun prompted his return to the reconstruction of his cement plant project located at Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area in Ogun State.
Construction of the Itori plant project originally began on December 23, 2023, with an anticipated completion date in November 2026. Unfortunately, the project was pulled down on two separate occasions during the administration of the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
The ongoing plant project, which includes two new production lines with a combined capacity of 6.0 million metric tons per annum, complements the existing cement plant that has been operational for over a decade in Ibese, Yewa North Local Government Area.
On Monday, Mr. Dangote conducted a courtesy visit to Governor Dapo Abiodun’s office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, as part of an inspection of the multimillion-dollar plant project.
During this visit, he reflected on the challenges faced in the past, noting that the site was dismantled twice by the previous administration.
However, he expressed optimism about returning to the site, attributing this positive development to the current administration’s supportive and investor-friendly policies.
He stated, “Our factory at Itori was dismantled twice. When we made a second attempt, the demolitions extended beyond the factory to the surrounding fence, prompting us to withdraw. However, we are now back, and I assure you that the developments are impressive.”
Mr. Dangote further assured stakeholders that, upon completion, the Itori cement plant will significantly enhance the overall capacity of the company’s cement plants in the state, bringing the total to approximately 18 million metric tons per annum. This positioning will designate Ogun State as the leading cement-producing region in Africa.
“With the contributions of other cement manufacturers in the state, Ogun is markedly ahead of other regions across Africa in terms of cement production,” he emphasized.
According to Mr. Dangote, Dangote Cement remains the leading cement producer in Africa, with a total capacity of 52.0 million metric tons per annum across the continent.
He highlighted that 70 percent of this production occurs within Nigeria, with the Obajana plant in Kogi State representing the largest production facility in Africa, accounting for 16.25 million metric tons per annum.
He concluded by stating that the investments in cement manufacturing have enabled Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in cement production, similar to the progress made in the fertilizer sector, with surplus production contributing to export markets and generating essential foreign exchange for the nation.