en.Wedoany.com Reported - Nigerian building materials company HBM Nigeria Plc (formerly Lafarge Africa Plc) plans to increase its cement capacity by 4.5 million metric tons by January 2027, in response to the expansion of Nigeria's building materials market driven by infrastructure spending and housing demand.
The producer, recently renamed after being acquired by China's Huaxin Building Materials Co. (formerly Huaxin Cement), will add capacity through expansions at its Sagamu plant in Ogun State and its Ashaka plant in Gombe State.
Company CEO Lolu Alade-Akinyemi stated at a media briefing in Lagos that significant progress has been made on the expansions, with each plant expected to directly employ over 400 workers upon completion and indirectly support more than 2,000 jobs through small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), suppliers, and local contractors.
Alade-Akinyemi said the expansion is expected to improve product availability nationwide while creating jobs, strengthening local supply chains, and supporting contractors and small businesses. Construction activities at both plants have already created employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers, prioritizing young people from the surrounding communities.
This investment comes as Nigeria advances large-scale road and infrastructure projects, which are expected to sustain demand for cement. Alade-Akinyemi stated that HBM aims to complete the capacity expansion in approximately one year, significantly faster than the typical three-year timeline for building a new cement plant, attributing this to the engineering and manufacturing capabilities of its new Chinese parent company.
Following Huaxin's acquisition of a controlling stake in Lafarge Africa, HBM Nigeria unveiled a new corporate identity, marking the end of one of Nigeria's oldest cement brands. The company stated that the name change reflects a broader strategy focused on operational efficiency, sustainability, and long-term growth, while retaining its existing cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and mortar businesses.
Alade-Akinyemi said the company intends to leverage Huaxin's engineering expertise and R&D capabilities to improve manufacturing efficiency and narrow Nigeria's technical skills gap. The company also plans to expand its portfolio of low-carbon building materials, including cement products designed to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 30%.
The expansion is expected to solidify HBM Nigeria's position in Africa's largest cement market, where manufacturers are investing to meet growing demand driven by government-backed infrastructure projects.
