Cement: Our Factory Prices Is Between N2,450, N2,510 Per Bag – Dangote

LAGOS – The Management of Dangote Cement has said that price of a bag of cement from its plants across Nigeria, as at April 12, 2021 is N2,450 in Obajana and Gboko, and N2,510 in Ibese-Yewa, Ogun State, inclusive of VAT.

Dangote made the clarification in view of recent outburst hat the company sells cement in Nigeria at higher prices against other countries, such like Ghana and Zambia.

According to Dangote’s Group Executive Director, Strategy, Portfolio Development & Capital Projects, Chief Devakumar Edwin disclosed that while a bag of cement sells for an equivalent of $5.1, including VAT in Nigeria, it sells for $7.2 in Ghana and $5.95 in Zambia ex-factory, inclusive of all taxes.

He said that though the company has direct control over its ex-factory prices, but it cannot control the ultimate price of cement when it gets to the market.

Devakumar advised that it is important to distinguish Dangote’s ex-factory prices from prices at which retailers sell cement in the market.

He however frowned at intentional misinformation or demarketing, allegedly sponsored by some individuals, that Dangote sells its cement at higher prices in Nigeria against other African countries at the expense of Nigerians.

Devakumar described the allegation as false, misleading, and unfounded, while he gave journalists present at the press conference copies of invoices from Nigeria and some other African countries such like Cameroun, Ghana, Sierra Leone and Zambia, while urging Journalists to conduct independent investigations on the price of cement across the West African coast.

Devakumar further explained that while Dangote cement has 60% share of the market, other companies have the remaining 40%, saying DCP has no control over neither the prices charged by other cement manufacturers nor the prices charged by retailers in the markets.

He further explained that “Demand for cement has risen globally as a fallout of the Covid-19 crisis.

“Nigeria is no exception as a combination of monetary policy changes and low returns from the capital market has resulted in a significant increase in construction activity.

“To ensure that we meet local demand, we had to suspend exports from our recently commissioned export terminals, thereby foregoing dollar earnings.

“We also had to reactivate our 4.5m ton capacity Gboko Plant which was closed 4 years ago and run it at a higher cost all in a bid to guarantee that we meet demand and keep the price of Cement within control in the country.”

Devakumar continued: “Over the past 15 months, our production costs have gone up significantly. About 50% of our costs are linked to USD so the cost of critical components like: gas, gypsum, bags, and spare parts; has increased significantly due to devaluation of the Naira and VAT increase.

“Despite this, DCP has not increased ex-factory prices since December 2019 till date while prices of most other building materials have gone up significantly. We have only adjusted our transport rates to account for higher costs of diesel, spare parts, tyres, and truck replacement. Still, we charge our customers only N300 – 350 per bag for deliveries within a 1,200km radius.

“We have been responsible enough not to even attempt to cash in on the recent rise in demand to increase prices so far.”