Société Saoura Ciment de Béchar (SSCB), part of Algeria-based GICA, exported 25,000t of cement to African countries such as Mali, Niger and Mauritania since the start of the year. Mauritania has accounted for 60 per cent of SSCB’s exports.

The shipments are example of the shift in cement trading following the government’s extensive investment in production capacity, turning Algeria from a net importer to a net exporter since 2018. In 2020 cement exports reached 3.6Mt with expectations for 2021 for further growth to 5.5Mt, according to The Global Cement Report, 14th Edition.