Brazzaville Convenes High-Level Cement Dialogue
In a packed auditorium of the ministry of industrial development on 18 August, Minister Antoine Thomas Nicéphore Fylla Saint Eudes opened a two-day forum dedicated to the future of Congo-Brazzaville’s cement industry. Around 200 delegates—executives, financiers, diplomats and researchers—took seats intent on shaping an ambitious governance blueprint (Ministry communiqué, 18 Aug 2025).
The meeting arrives as construction demand across Central Africa rises with urbanisation and public-works programmes. Congo’s leadership argues that better coordination, transparency and quality control can convert this demand into exportable strength, supporting both national accounts and the sub-regional infrastructure agenda.
Strategic Weight in National Transformation Plans
Cement figures prominently in the National Development Plan 2022-2026, which targets diversified, non-oil growth. Officials say the sector already contributes about 4 % of GDP and employs 7 000 people directly. Strengthening governance, they contend, will amplify multiplier effects in housing, roads and energy projects (African Development Bank 2023).
Minister Fylla Saint Eudes told delegates that cement is “a strategic backbone of our productive apparatus”, echoing language used in recent cabinet notes. By streamlining licensing and customs procedures, he argued, Brazzaville could halve logistic costs and narrow price gaps with producers in Nigeria and Cameroon.
Market Landscape and Capacity Trends
Congo’s installed capacity stands near 2.7 million tonnes per year, led by Dangote’s Mfila plant, Sonocc in Loutété and Ciments de l’Atlas in Mindouli. Utilisation, however, fluctuates around 65 %, weighed down by intermittent power supply and transport bottlenecks (Dangote Cement operational report 2023).
UN Comtrade data show domestic demand at roughly 1.5 million tonnes, leaving a potential exportable surplus if efficiency improves. Delegates examined scenarios under the African Continental Free Trade Area that could open corridors toward Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond.
Governance Gaps Under the Microscope
A review presented by the World Cement Association pinpointed regulatory overlaps between the ministries of industry, environment and commerce. Delays in environmental permitting reportedly extend project timelines by an average of nine months. Investors urged a streamlined one-stop window and digitalised documentation to align with regional best practice.
Civil engineers at the forum cited variable clinker quality as a residual concern. Standards authority representatives proposed an independent laboratory in Pointe-Noire to certify inputs, a move expected to reassure international contractors bidding on Congolese public-private partnerships financed by multilateral lenders.
Energy and Climate Imperatives
Cement is one of the world’s most carbon-intensive materials, responsible globally for around 7 % of CO₂ emissions (International Energy Agency 2024). Congo’s plants still rely heavily on imported coal and fuel oil. The forum devoted an afternoon to alternative fuels, from biomass to natural gas from the offshore Marine XII block.
TotalEnergies engineers demonstrated kiln retrofits that could cut emissions by 15 %. While financing remains a hurdle, the national Green Fund signalled readiness to co-invest, framing decarbonisation as a competitive advantage for climate-conscious clients in neighbouring markets.
Financing the Next Phase
Representatives of the Development Bank of Central African States confirmed exploratory talks on a US $120 million line of credit to modernise grinding units and improve rail links from quarries in Bouenza. Private equity firms from South Africa and the United Arab Emirates also expressed interest in minority stakes, citing stable macroeconomic indicators (IMF Central Africa Outlook 2024).
Participants emphasised that capital inflows hinge on transparent royalty regimes and predictable taxation. The ministry pledged to publish quarterly production and export statistics, an unprecedented step aimed at boosting investor confidence and aligning with Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative recommendations.
Regional Diplomacy and Trade Integration
Congo’s ambition to become a cement hub dovetails with the Economic Community of Central African States plan for self-sufficiency in strategic materials. During side-line meetings, Gabonese and Cameroonian envoys discussed harmonising standards to ease cross-border shipments by 2026.
Diplomats noted that a stronger Congolese supply could stabilise prices region-wide, reducing dependence on distant imports. Such stability is considered vital for flagship projects like the Kinshasa-Brazzaville Bridge and the Trans-Cameroun Expressway, which both list cement procurement risks among top contingencies.
Skill Development and Social Dimensions
Beyond macroeconomics, organisers highlighted employment and training. The labour ministry previewed a curriculum with the Polytechnic School of Pointe-Noire, targeting 500 technicians annually in kiln maintenance, laboratory testing and environmental auditing.
Trade-union representatives welcomed the initiative but urged more emphasis on occupational health. In response, the national social security agency promised new inspection guidelines and insurance incentives for plants that achieve accident-free milestones.
Roadmap Emerges from the Forum
The closing communiqué outlined eight priorities: regulatory harmonisation, digital permits, quality labs, energy diversification, dedicated logistics corridors, investment facilitation, labour upskilling and periodic public reporting. A steering committee chaired by the minister will monitor milestones and deliver a progress note to cabinet every quarter.
Observers see the roadmap as pragmatic yet ambitious. “If implemented, these measures could lift capacity utilisation above 85 % within three years and position Congo as a reliable supplier for Central Africa,” estimated Stéphane Mukendi, a Kinshasa-based infrastructure analyst, in an interview.
Measured Optimism Among Stakeholders
Industry executives expressed cautious optimism. Dangote’s country director, Opeyemi Thomas, praised the government’s consultative approach, noting that “predictability is the ultimate stimulus to long-term investment.” Civil society groups meanwhile urged vigilance on environmental safeguards, suggesting an independent monitoring panel composed of universities and local communities.
Minister Fylla Saint Eudes closed proceedings by reiterating the administration’s resolve: “Our goal is not only to pour concrete but to build confidence,” he said, drawing sustained applause and sealing a forum that, by most accounts, has recalibrated expectations for Congo’s cement trajectory.
