Dangote Cement crosses the Frontiers
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By Davis Mataka
Dangote Cement in Ndola has become the largest Zambian exporter of cement and other cement products to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda Zimbabwe and Malawi.
The firm has also taken pole- position as the single highest manufacturing sector net contributor of tax in the country.
Chief Executive and Country manager Vipul Agrawal said in an interview in Ndola that the $400 million investment plant, the single largest cement industry in the Sadc region was exporting 1/3 of its annual production to the DRC market.
He revealed that It was a strategic decision that the plant was set up in Ndola and not Lusaka so that on the one hand, it could tap into the DRC market while servicing the local demand on the other hand.
Mr. Agrawal said that despite the Katanga region having recently constructed two Cement plants, Dangote Cement remained very competitive in that market because of it’s high quality products.
And Dangote Cement has continued contributing to the Zambian economy as the single highest manufacturing industry contributor of tax.
He said because of the sustainable and favourable work environment that the government had created, the firm had continued posting above average production figures.
Mr Agrawal said it was for that reason that for two years running, Dangote Cement had recieved the best performing exporter awards in Zambia.
“In line with president Hakainde Hichilema’s directive to explore business opportunities in the yawning market in the Congo, we have doubled our effort to market our products in that country and it is paying huge dividends for us,
“We are the role model of his Excellency the President Hichilema’s policy on export to the Congo ,”
“We have also been allowed to operate under very favourable work conditions with all stake holders, thanks to government for it’s investor friendly policies,” Mr. Agrawal said.
Mr. Agrawal said because of the enormity of the Dangote Cement footprint in Zambia and beyond, the firm was making inroads and penetrating other regional markets.
On the local market, Mr. Agrawal said that he was elated that the New Dawn government made some major development pronouncements like the commencement of the Lusaka/Ndola highway which he hoped Dangote would benefit from tremendously.
He observed that the Cement industry was a development and economic growth oriented business and as long as these factors were constant, The industry would also boom.
