Dangote Cement has urged fellow African producers to speed up decarbonisation even as they ramp up capacity to meet rising infrastructure needs, the company’s Group managing director said after a global industry summit.
Arvind Pathak made the appeal following his participation in the Global Cement and Concrete Association’s CEO Strategic Dialogue in Madrid, where chief executives from major cement manufacturers outlined plans to push the industry toward net‑zero emissions while sustaining growth.
The two‑day meeting centered on low‑carbon construction, climate policy, financing for decarbonisation and the wider deployment of new technologies.
“With Africa’s infrastructure demand continuing to rise, the sector must pursue growth while embracing innovative pathways to reduce carbon emissions,” Pathak said.
He described the gathering as reinforcing a shared industry commitment to accelerate reductions in greenhouse‑gas output.
Executives at the summit emphasized a suite of practical measures being promoted across markets: greater use of alternative fuels, lowering clinker content in cement, and targeted investment in new production technologies that take into account local operating realities.
Pathak said those priorities are particularly relevant to Africa, where rapid urbanisation and public works programs are driving demand for building materials but where regulatory and economic conditions differ from developed markets.
Industry analysts say the cement sector faces a tough trade‑off. Cement production is carbon‑intensive by nature: process emissions from limestone decomposition, combined with fuel combustion in kilns, account for most of the industry’s footprint.
Reducing those emissions typically requires capital‑intensive retrofits, adoption of alternative energy sources, or shifts in product formulations—investments that can be challenging for producers working to expand capacity quickly.
Pathak described the issue as an opportunity for the continent to lead a next phase of “sustainable industrial growth” by pairing infrastructure expansion with cleaner production methods. He said the dialogue highlighted the need for financing mechanisms, policy support and technology transfer that reflect Africa’s specific needs.
Dangote Cement, Africa’s largest cement maker, has been ramping up output across the continent while publicly pushing sustainability goals.
NewsQuest reports that policymakers and financiers will play a key role, industry executives said, by helping de‑risk investments in decarbonisation and by crafting regulations that balance climate objectives with the continent’s pressing development priorities.
