As part of its bold moves aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving energy security, Africa’s leading cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc has disclosed it has so far co-processed over 1.5 million tonnes of alternative fuels in the four years thus significantly lowering its carbon footprint.
The move underscores the company’s commitment to cutting carbon emissions, enhancing energy security, and setting a benchmark for sustainable industrialization across Africa.
Speaking to global audience at the Africa CemTrade Summit which just ended in Accra, Ghana, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement, Mr. Arvind Pathak said since 2021 when the Company embarked on energy diversification, it has successfully deployed 15 alternative fuel systems across its plants, achieving up to 40 per cent thermal substitution in operations across its plants in sub-sahara Africa especially in Senegal, Zambia, and South Africa.
Pathak who spoke on the theme, theme “Sustainable Innovation in the Sub-Saharan Africa Cement Distribution Value Chain,” said with the shift to Alternative Fuel, his cement Company has been converting industrial, agricultural, and municipal wastes into energy, noting that the initiative forms part of the company’s broader decarbonisation target aimed at cutting carbon emissions by twenty per cent by 2030.
He emphasized that Dangote Cement which has expanded its footprint across eleven countries, with a production capacity of 55 million tonnes annually, is leading a transformative shift towards sustainability in Africa’s cement distribution sector, combining environmental stewardship with profitability pointing out that sustainability sits at the core of the company’s business model, influencing every aspect from production to logistics.
Pathak explained that central to its green transition programme was the Investment in compressed natural gas (CNG) logistics which have seen Company acquired over 3,000 CNG trucks and 1,000 dual-fuel vehicles deployed, significantly reducing emissions and transport costs. The company aims for a fully CNG-powered fleet in Nigeria by 2026, targeting a 29 per cent reduction in carbon emissions per energy unit consumed.
Dangote Cement’s sustainability strategy is further supported by its digital transformation drive, which has introduced systems such as the Distributor Management System (DMS), Transport Management System (TMS), and Electronic Proof of Delivery (e-POD), enhancing transparency, route optimisation, and supply chain efficiency.
According to him, the company has mapped more than 65,000 retail outlets in Nigeria and continues to expand across key regional trade corridors. Through its Customer Truck Empowerment Scheme (CTES), Dangote Cement has distributed over 4,000 trucks to transport partners, creating jobs and improving reliability in cement delivery.
In 2024 alone, the company invested over N12.4 billion in community development projects across its host countries, a fourfold increase from the previous year, covering education, healthcare, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
As Dangote Cement continues to invest in low-carbon operations and innovative technologies, it sets a benchmark for sustainable industrialization across Africa.
“Dangote Cement Plc has taken the lead in driving sustainable transformation across the Sub-Saharan Africa’s cement value chain. We are reaffirming our commitment to innovation and responsible growth. Sustainability has never been an afterthought for us; it is central to how we grow, innovate, and operate,” he stated. “For Africa’s industrial future to remain viable, sustainability must make economic sense. Our strategy ensures profitability while protecting the planet.”
The Dangote Cement CEO said the Company has over the past two decades, Dangote Cement expanded from a local producer into a continental leader, operating in eleven countries with an installed capacity of 55 million tonnes per annum. Beyond scale, Pathak said, the company’s distinction lies in its deliberate shift towards lower-carbon operations, contributing to Africa’s sustainable industrialisation.
Said he: “We recognised early on that sustainability would shape the future of manufacturing. Our investments in process optimisation, cleaner fuels, and advanced energy systems are helping us reduce waste, improve efficiency, and build stronger competitiveness. We are proving that economic performance and climate responsibility can move together.”
Dangote Cement continues to play an active role in global and regional partnerships for sustainable construction as a founding member of the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) and a partner of the United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa) to promote low-carbon cement standards, including the Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) initiative.
In her remark at the event, Dangote Cement’s Deputy Head of Sustainability, Oyekemi Oyelola said the company’s model demonstrates that industrial progress and environmental responsibility can coexist.
“We see a future where Africa’s cement industry becomes a benchmark for sustainable industrialization globally. Our mission is to ensure that Dangote Cement leads that transformation, driving innovation, creating value, and helping Africa build not only stronger structures but a stronger, greener future.”
