{
  "id": 11021146,
  "title": "Africa’s Massive Cement Expansion Could Drive An Energy Boom",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/africas-massive-cement-expansion-could-drive-an-energy-boom",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-30T20:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "OilPrice",
    "slug": "oilprice",
    "url": "https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Africas-Massive-Cement-Expansion-Could-Drive-An-Energy-Boom.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Africa's cement production industry is booming, with the continent currently accounting for 8% of global cement production capacity and 15% of the global total. Africa is on track to surpass 15% of global cement production capacity, as 16 nations across the continent are constructing new cement kilns. Nigeria leads the construction effort with 10 million tons currently being built, followed by Dangote Cement Plc, which is investing $1 billion to expand its footprint in Africa through 2030. BUA Cement is also expanding its capacity to 20 million tons annually, while Heidelberg Materials is constructing the world's largest flash calciner in Ghana.\n\nThe cement boom in Africa is expected to drive an energy boom, as cement production typically rises during the early stages of industrialization to support housing, road, port, and factory construction. As Africa's industrial activities expand, the demand for electricity will also increase. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that Africa's net electricity demand will rise 10.1% from 799 TWh in 2025 to 880 TWh in 2027, driven by industrial activity and data centers. Many of the new cement plants under construction in Africa are being built in countries that already struggle with power reliability, providing an opportunity for cement producers to generate their own reliable power. Some cement companies, like Pakistan's Bestway Cement, are already taking steps to reduce their dependence on the national grid by installing solar farms across their plants.",
  "summary": "For decades, Africa has lagged the world in energy consumption, accounting for less than 5% of global energy supplies despite being home to a fifth of the world’s population. The continent also accounts for a mere 2% of global manufacturing output, with the majority of African nations exporting raw minerals and agricultural products while importing expensive finished goods. However, Africa now…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}