Dangote Cement H1 Profit Soars to N638.5bn, Exports Jump 62.3%

By Abubakar Yunusa

Dangote Cement Plc grew cement and clinker exports from Nigeria by 62.3 per cent to 1.1 million tonnes in the first half of 2026, reinforcing the country’s position as a regional manufacturing and export hub while also reporting a 22.7 per cent rise in profit after tax to N638.5 billion.

The company said it dispatched 20 clinker ships from Nigeria to Ghana, Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire during the period, reflecting rising demand for its products across West Africa and the growing contribution of exports to its pan-African growth strategy.

The unaudited results for the six months ended June 30, 2026 also showed that Group revenue increased by 21.4 per cent to N2.514 trillion, while Group EBITDA rose by 25.8 per cent to N1.188 trillion, reflecting a margin of 47.3 per cent. Earnings per share advanced by 24.3 per cent to N38.22, as the company closed the period with a strong net cash position of N215.2 billion.

Overall Group volumes grew by 11.8 per cent to 14.9 million tonnes, supported by resilient demand in key markets. Nigeria continued to anchor earnings, with EBITDA from the domestic market rising by 28.4 per cent to N1.086 trillion and margins improving to 60.1 per cent.

Operational efficiency remained a key focus, with the company reporting a strong reduction in Nigeria cash costs, supported by a more favourable energy mix. It also commissioned the Okpella mobile refuelling unit and added 300 compressed natural gas trucks in Tanzania as part of efforts to improve logistics efficiency and reduce operating costs.

Speaking on the results, chief executive officer, Arvind Pathak, said the first-half performance reflected the strong momentum the company had built since the start of the year, supported by disciplined execution, higher sales volumes and sustained demand across key markets.

“Our performance in the first half of 2026 reflects the strong momentum we have continued to build since the start of the year. The business delivered another solid set of results, supported by higher sales volumes, disciplined execution, and sustained demand across our key markets,” Pathak said.

He noted that revenue growth, stronger EBITDA and the N215.2 billion net cash balance underscored the resilience of Dangote Cement’s business model and its capacity to invest in future growth while maintaining disciplined capital allocation.

Pathak said the company’s export strategy continued to deliver encouraging results, adding that the growth in shipments to regional markets reflected rising demand for its products across West Africa.

On expansion, he said construction and commissioning activities at the company’s new 6Mta Itori plant were at an advanced stage, with completion expected before the end of the year.

He noted that the plant is expected to strengthen Dangote Cement’s production footprint, expand export capacity and support its long-term ambition of reaching 80Mta in installed production capacity by 2030.

“Looking ahead, market fundamentals remain favourable and our strategic investments continue to strengthen the business. Combined with our unwavering focus on operational excellence and cost discipline, these factors position us well to sustain our growth trajectory and continue creating lasting value for our shareholders,” he added.

Dangote Cement is Africa’s leading cement producer, with 55.0Mta capacity across the continent. The company operates a fully integrated quarry-to-customer model and has 35.25Mta production capacity in Nigeria, including plants in Obajana, Ibese, Gboko and Okpella.