BUA targets 20mt capacity production line
The BUA group, makers of BUA cement is adding an eight line into existing cement production lines that will take its capacity level to 20 million tons.
The additional line to be added into BUA cement, Sokoto will deepen both availability and affordability of cement in the country.
Founder and Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu confirmed the plan over the weekend in Abuja on the marking of the twelve-year anniversary celebration of business partnership between BUA and CBMI construction limited, a Chinese construction firm.
Recalling BUA foray into cement business years ago, Rabiu said all the seven cement production lines and other constructions, including the eight line whose ground breaking ceremony would be performed this weekend were handled by CBMI.
“In 2008, the then-President of Nigeria, Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, recognized the need to increase cement production and supply in Nigeria. At that time, Nigeria was only producing about 3 to 4 million tons of cement, which represented only about 40 to 50 percent of the country’s demand. The rest was being imported. To address this challenge, the government decided to invite six companies from the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria to participate in the cement business. Our company, BUA Group, was invited from the northwestern part of Nigeria to participate”.
“Initially, I had no knowledge of the cement business, but I was invited to participate. During the meeting with the then Minister of Industry, he emphasized the importance of having companies with capacities to support the government in importing cement and establishing cement plants”.
“Our first year of operation was successful, and we realized the potential of the cement business. We then acquired a small company in Nigeria, which came with Edo Cement, and expanded our operations. We faced another challenge when we needed to erect a cement plant. European companies were unwilling to come to Nigeria, so we turned to China and found CBMI. They not only did the erection but also supplied equipment and did the civil construction. We signed a contract with CBMI, and they delivered. We have since built seven lines with them and are about to sign another contract for the eighth line”.
He lauded the CBMI team for its enduring support for BUA for over twelve years.
Earlier in the welcome address, the Managing Director/ Chief Executive officer of BUA cement Engr. Yusuf Haliru Binji said BUA had grown from a 2 percent market share to over 30 percent within the last eight years with an increase in production capacity.
“Our capacity has increased from half a million tons to over 17 million tons. I’m pleased to announce that we recently signed an agreement to build another cement line in Sokoto, which will take our installed capacity to 20 million tons. The journey hasn’t been easy, but it has brought interesting developments. The Edo Cement Company and the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, Sokoto, merged to form BUA Cement in 2019. It was listed on the Stock Exchange in January 2020 and is now the fifth-highest capitalized company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange”.
“We’ve executed several projects with CBMI and continue this partnership, extending into operation and maintenance and mining. Our aspiration is to be the number one cement producer in Nigeria, making cement affordable and available nationwide”, Binji said.
In a remark by CMBI General Manager Mr. Geng Fengtao, he described twelve years of business relationships between his firm and BUA as rewarding and enduring
“Over the past 12 years, CBMI and BUA have worked together to successfully complete many projects, including the most advanced cement plants in Nigeria, such as the three cement lines in Sokoto and the three cement lines in Edo. These projects have not only increased the cement production capacity in Nigeria but have also contributed significantly to Nigeria’s economic growth by creating jobs, supporting local industries, and promoting the development of local communities”
“Our partnership has been a beacon of excellence, innovation, and mutual growth”.
“As we all know, cement has been one of the most important building materials since its invention 200 years ago, and no other material has replaced cement on a large scale to date. BUA Cement will further promote infrastructure construction and the industrialization process in Nigeria”, he said.
