Cameroon to suspend cement imports

Cameroon has decided to suspend imports of cement, local press report quoting a presidential directive to the Prime Minister to that effect.

The 21 August directive made public by the Ministry of Commerce underlined the government’s concern to protect the local industry and jobs and reassure foreign investors.

The move comes a day after the signing of agreements with about 20 companies, as well Cameroonian international firms doing business in Cameroon.

Last week, Turkish company Eren Holdings signed an investment agreement with the Cameroon government which will see its local subsidiary Medcem build a new cement plant in the African country. The new works is expected to add 0.6Mta to the domestic production base, which currently consists of Lafarge’s Cimencam 1.6Mta plant and the 0.5Mta Cimaf unit of Addoha. In addition, Dangote Cement has scheduled the start-up of a 1Mta works in October.