Cement makers move to popularize concrete road techology

Cement manufacturers have embarked on concrete road projects in some parts of the country to put Nigeria on the global map of countries using concrete road technology to boost their economy and productivity.

Globally, 50 countries have adopted it in the form of Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC), Traditional Concrete, and Thin Concrete Pavement (TCP), while South Africa, Kenya, Egypt and Ghana were the only nations in Africa using concrete road technologies.

Femi Yusuff, Head, Road Segment, Lafarge Africa Plc, who disclosed this during an interactive session with newsmen in Lagos, said, “With over 40 million metric tonnes of cement being produced locally by the three key producers (Lafarge, Dangote, BUA) the country now has enough cement capacity for concrete road projects.”

He noted that Lafarge, for instance, has implemented some concrete road projects in three Nigerian cities: Calabar, Oshogbo and Gombe.

“We have done a 7.5km Lafarge-Unicem Evacuation Road, Calabar; N700 million eight kilometre road in Maiganga, Gombe State, through our subsidiary Ashaka Cement; a 20 kilometer Oban road linking Calabar – Cameroun road at Mfamosing, and a road project in Oshogbo, Osun State.

“Asphalt is fine but has capacity to tear and wear within two to three years and to be reconstructed after 15 years; Concrete roads is about 10-15% more expensive than asphalt, but long-term it is better and cheaper because it lasts for 30 years and requires little or no maintenance compared to asphalt that last sfor an average of 15 years.”

Dangote Industries Limited is known to be implementing a concrete road project around the Apapa Wharf in Lagos following a successful deployment of the technology the major road to its cement factory in Ibeshe, Ogun State.