After the inauguration of the 1.5 million Mta Kalambaina cement plant in July, BUA cement announced the completion of its 3 million Mta cement plant in Okpella, Edo state, Nigeria bringing the total of the company’s cement operations to 6 million tonnes and group installed capacity to 8 million Mta.
The date for the formal inauguration of the plant is to be announced soon by the company and Its output is expected to be delivered to the southern and south-eastern Nigerian markets, according to a statement from BUA Group.
The statement also said that the Okpella facility will run on both multi-fuelled; that is gas and heavy oils and will give the company a stronger foothold in the southern and south-eastern areas of the Nigerian market.
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“The company is working towards reducing the price of its cement”, as mentioned by Nasir Ladin, General Manager of BUA in a statement. However, high energy and transportation costs would be limiting factors.
Speaking at a recent business forum, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Founder and Executive Chairman of BUA Group said that completion of the new line puts the cement company (BUA Cement) in major position to be Nigeria’s second largest cement producers by volume in a short while.
Three months ago, the cement company entered a partnership with Standards Organization of Nigeria and Industrial Training Fund to address building collapse in Nigeria by training block and concrete makers on proper mix for block making.
BUA Group started business in 1988 as a Private Limited Liability Company specializing in the importation and marketing of iron & steel, agricultural and industrial chemicals. Since then it has rapidly developed into a fully-fledged, diversified business with a stake in a wide range of business sectors.
The Group possesses three major subsidiaries and plants which includes; Cement Company of Northern Nigeria, Edo Cement Company Limited, and BUA Sugar Refinery Limited; in Northern and Southern Nigeria. The Group also holds a stake in Damnaz Cement Company Ltd which is the Majority Shareholder in Cement Company of Northern Nigeria. BUA group however, is not listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange.
CYNTHIA IKWUETOGHU
