Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote is expanding his business empire to more African countries with the official launch on 8th October 2025 of the cement manufacturing operations in Attingué, some 30 km from Abidjan, the Ivorian capital.
Already, the largest conglomerate in West Africa and one of the largest on the African continent, with operations in at least 10 countries, the Dangote group employs more than 30,000 people and is projected to generate more than US$25 billion this year.
Serge Gbotta, Managing Director of Dangote Cement Côte d’Ivoire, launched the Attingué plant, which spans 50 hectares and has a production capacity of three million tonnes of cement per year, making it one of the group's largest facilities outside Nigeria.
“This strategic project, with an estimated investment of 100 billion CFA francs, embodies Aliko Dangote’s vision of building a self-sufficient Africa that is less dependent on imports and capable of transforming its own resources into world-class finished products,” Dangote Group said in a statement.
“With this facility, Côte d’Ivoire becomes the 11th African country to host a Dangote Cement production unit. The group, with a total capacity of 55 million tonnes per year on the continent, intends to contribute to the development of Ivorian infrastructure and meet the growing demand for construction materials, driven by rapid urbanisation and major construction projects in the country,” the statement added.
“According to forecasts,” it said, “the Attingué plant could generate more than 1,000 direct and indirect jobs. This represents a significant boost for young people in Côte d’Ivoire, but also for the ecosystem of local SMEs – transporters, building tradespeople, retailers, suppliers and subcontractors.”
Gbotta reiterated the company philosophy: Our ambition is clear: to offer Ivorians international-standard cement, produced locally at a competitive price. The Attingué plant is not just an industrial unit; it is a symbol of confidence in the future of Côte d’Ivoire and a commitment to sustainable development alongside local communities.
He also highlighted the training programmes that the company intends to set up for young Ivorian engineers and technicians through the Dangote Academy, with a view to strengthening local skills in industrial management.
For his part, Stéphane Tchimou, Commercial Director of Dangote Cement Côte d’Ivoire, emphasised the direct impact of this facility on construction industry players and distributors: We know that Ivorian masons, craftsmen and contractors need reliable, high performance cement that is available without interruption. It is for them that we have chosen to establish one of our largest units here. Our distribution network will be structured to ensure proximity and availability in all regions of the country, he said.
He added that the company plans to put support mechanisms in place, including credit facilities and commercial assistance, to support small retailers and boost the value chain.
Dangote Cement also “promises community initiatives around the Attingué plant: opening access roads, drinking water supply projects, support for local health facilities. The company is demonstrating its commitment to sustainable and inclusive development, in partnership with local authorities and certain NGOs.”
“The risks in Africa are often exaggerated. In reality, this continent is full of opportunities. Our role is to tell a new story, that of an Africa that produces, innovates and builds for its children,’ declared Aliko Dangote, the founder of the Group.
The statement said: “with its premium cement available in several grades (CPJ 32.5R for masonry, CPJ 42.5N for buildings and CPA 52.5 for large structures), Dangote Cement intends to establish itself as a trusted partner for the Ivorian construction industry.”
The Attingué plant is designed to be at the cutting edge of technology,” and “should enable the country to significantly reduce its cement imports and eventually become a regional hub for production and export,” the statement explained.
“Dangote Cement’s arrival in Côte d’Ivoire is not just about opening a factory. It is a promise of shared growth, job creation and knowledge transfer. Between industrial ambition, economic opportunities and social commitment, the Nigerian giant wants to help write a new chapter in the history of construction in Côte d’Ivoire,” it added.
Founded in 1981 as a trading enterprise, importing sugar, cement, rice, fisheries, and other consumer goods for distribution in the Nigerian market, the Dangote Group later branched into manufacturing in the 1990s, starting with textiles, moving onto flour milling, salt processing and sugar refining by the end of the decade.
The Group next branched into cement production, growing rapidly and moving into other African countries.
The icing on the cake is the 20US$-billion Dangote Petrochemical Refinery in Lagos, which came on stream in 2024 with 650,000 litres per day, enough to meet Nigeria’s domestic consumption and surplus for export.
It is the world’s largest single-train refinery, and one of a score of private refineries licensed by the Nigerian government after four state-owned refineries were run aground, resulting in incessant hardships and domestic shortages.
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