Ashaka Cement plc will add extra 500,000 metric tonnes of cement after ‘debottlenecking’ its production line. This will bring its cement capacity to 1.5 million tonnes.
Debottlenecking means modification of existing equipment to remove restrictions to raise capacity.
Mallam Suleiman Yahyah, Chairman, AshakaCem, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the firm is also installing a new line with 2.5 million tonnes capacity of cement per annum.
He said Ashaka Cement, currently a subsidiary of Lafarge Africa, is investing N100 billion to significantly expand capacity to 4 million tonnes.
“As part of the expansion project, a captive coal-fired power plant of 64 megawatts capacity will be built in order to allow a reliable and sufficient source of power for the existing plant and the new cement line.”
Yahyah assured shareholders that when completed, the capacity expansion would positively impact the socio-economic life of the host community and add value to all stakeholders.
For over three decades, AshakaCem plc has participated in the economic growth and development of Nigeria, particularly in the North-East where it is located. Following the successful completion of the Mandatory Transfer Offer earlier in the year, it has become a full part of the consolidated Lafarge Africa plc.
AshakaCem is the fourth largest cement manufacturer in Nigeria.
