- Dangote Cement Industries has said it will commence the mining and sourcing of coal for its cement production within Nigeria in the next two and half months, thus putting an end to its importation of the mineral from foreign sources.
- The Group Managing Director of Dangote Cements, Mr. Edwin Devakumar said that with the planned commencement of coal mining, Dangote will use local coal for cement production to replace imported coal. He said there was a huge potential for this which cement producers in the country can benefit from.
- Although he did not disclose the expected production volume from the coal mine, he however said the solid minerals sector in Nigeria if properly harnessed would propel economic growth and industrialization, including cement production.
- He called on the government to prioritize the minerals it hopes to develop in its solid minerals development plan as against taking up everything at once, and eventually achieving little or nothing with the plan.