Ethiopia: The Africa Dialogue on Cement for Green Industrialisation concluded with a call to accelerate practical action on low-carbon cement and concrete as Africa enters a period of urban growth and infrastructure development. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Industry of Ethiopia and jointly organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation s (UNIDO) Net Zero Partnership for Industrial Decarbonisation, together with the GCCA and other organisations. It brought together more than 110 participants from 39 countries, including cement producers, government representatives, industry associations, research institutions and others. UNIDO said that around 80% of Africa s 2050 building stock is yet to be constructed and the continent s cement production is therefore expected to increase significantly in the coming decades. The event focused on solutions that are already available and can be scaled, including reducing the clinker content of cement through supplementary cementitious materials and calcined clay cement, increasing the use of alternative fuels and improving material efficiency. Participants visited Habesha Cement plant on the first day. Stephen Kargbo, director of the UNIDO sub-regional office and representative to Ethiopia, the African Union and UNECA, said “Every bag of cement we choose today is a vote for the kind of Africa we will live in tomorrow. The decisions we make today will lock in emissions for the next half century. If we embed low-carbon norms now, Africa can industrialise sustainably, attract green investment and equip its youth with the skills to lead tomorrow s construction sector. /Global Cement

Afghanistan: Construction work on the second phase of the Jabal Saraj cement plant in central Parwan province began on 9 July 2026. The plant will have a production capacity of 1.8Mt/yr of cement, according to Amu news. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, the governor of Parwan and other officials. Abdul Salam Hanafi said "If this plant is completed successfully, we hope it will meet the country s domestic demand for cement and may even create the capacity to export cement to other countries." Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi said increased domestic production would help lower cement prices and contribute to greater stability in Afghanistan s construction sector. All financial and technical aspects of the project are reportedly being funded and implemented by state-run company National Development Corporation. According to the company, all stages of production, including clinker production, will be carried out at the plant. The plant began operations in 1958, but has been marked by repeated shutdowns due to conflict, aging machinery and weak infrastructure. In 2018, the former government s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum announced plans to put the construction of a second phase out to tender. At the time, the investment was expected to be US$170m, with a capacity of 1Mt/yr of cement, but this was not completed before the collapse of the government in August 2021. In 2023, a contract for the first phase of the project was signed with a Qatar-based company for a reported investment of US$220m. Officials have not explained how the newly announced second phase relates operationally or financially to the earlier agreement. It has also not been disclosed whether the 5000t/day capacity refers to the second phase or to the projected capacity of the expanded plant. /Global Cement

Iraq: Construction has begun on the Ramadi Cement plant in Anbar province, which will produce 1Mt/yr of cement, according to Shafaq news. The project is 100% privately financed and is part of efforts to expand Iraq s industrial capacity and attract investment into the country. Moayad al-Dulaimi, spokesperson for the Anbar provincial government, said that the facility is expected to create at least 5000 jobs and support the development of the province s natural and mineral resources. He added that construction is currently between 27% and 30% complete. The plant will incorporate German technology, while Swiss engineering teams are overseeing construction to ensure compliance with international technical standards. The developer, Sada Al-Nujoom for Contracting and Oil Services, has built a 26MW power plant to supply electricity to the plant. /Global Cement

Cameroon: Dangote Cement Cameroon plans to double its production capacity in the country by 2028, as it seeks to capitalise on growing demand from infrastructure projects and the construction sector. The company aims to raise output from 1.5Mt/yr to 3Mt/yr. According to Dangote Cement s quarterly report, its sales volumes in Cameroon fell by 16% year-on-year during the first quarter of 2026, reaching about 0.3Mt. The company is upgrading its Douala plant, which currently has a production capacity of 1.5Mt/yr. The group recently signed a US$1bn agreement with China-based Sinoma Engineering to build new plants and modernise existing facilities across seven African countries, including Cameroon. The company has also revived plans to build a second cement plant with a capacity of 1.5Mt/yr in Yaoundé, which has been dormant for several years. The facility is no longer expected to be built in Nomayos, as originally planned. Instead, it will be located in an industrial development zone within the capital, according to local press. No further details on the site or implementation timeline were disclosed. /Global Cement

Saudi Arabia: Yamama Cement announced in a statement to the stock exchange that it has commenced commercial operation of its third production line (formerly Line 7), with a clinker production capacity of approximately 12,500t/day, effective 1 July 2026. The company signed a contract with China s Sinoma Overseas Development in November 2022 to relocate the seventh line from its old Riyadh plant to the new Al-Halal North site in Al-Kharj. In March 2026, the company began a three-month trial operation phase for the project. /Global Cement

US: CO2-sequestering alternative cement developer CarbonCure and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Masic Lab have published a study establishing a new chemomechanical framework for CO2 mineralisation in cement. The study found that early-age CO2 injection fundamentally reroutes cement hydration by introducing a transient reactive silica gel phase. This phase templates a more homogeneous calcium-silicate-hydrate (CSH) microstructure and increases 24-hour compressive strength compared to reference samples. The study concluded that mechanical gains in CO2-activated systems are not solely attributable to the pore-filling effect of nanocarbonates, but are significantly driven by alteration of the hydration sequence. As such, the researchers advised that the optimisation CO2 utilisation technologies should focus on controlling the kinetics of silica gel generation and consumption as well as the degree of carbonate formation. /Global Cement

Zimbabwe: Shuntai Investments has signed an engineering, procurement and construction agreement with China’s CBMI Construction for the development of a 6000t/day clinker production line in Zvishavane, Zimbabwe, according to NewsDay. CBMI managing director Zhang Sicai and Shuntai chair Xing Mingchang signed the agreement in Beijing. “This collaboration fully reflects CBMI Construction’s technical expertise and professional advantages in the cement engineering sector, opening new avenues for the regional company to serve the Zimbabwean and surrounding markets,” CBMI said in a statement. “Upon completion, the project will effectively boost local clinker and cement supply capacity, providing solid support for Zimbabwe’s infrastructure development and industrial growth.” /Global Cement

India: Adani Group will invest over US$26m in a greenfield cement plant, expected to be operational in 2028 and spread across 80 hectares. It is expected to be a grinding plant due to the size of the investment, and will have a capacity of 5Mt/yr. The Kharagpur plant had initially been proposed by ACC in 2012 but, when the company failed to commence work within five years, it was vested back to the state. When Adani Group acquired ACC in 2023 and learnt about the proposal, it made an application for the land. /Global Cement

Tajikistan: Four new cement plants with a combined production capacity of 6Mt/yr are expected to be commissioned in various regions of Tajikistan by 2029, according to President Emomali Rahmon, who has directed authorities to ensure that domestic demand for cement is fully met through local production. The commissioning of the new facilities is expected to double cement production in Tajikistan, which could result in surplus supply of cement and stabilise prices. According to the State Statistical Committee, industrial production in Tajikistan reached approximately US$746m in the first three months of 2026. /Global Cement

Pakistan: Lucky Cement’s revenues were US$1.36bn in the first nine months of the 2026 financial year (FY2026), which began on 1 July 2026. This corresponds to a rise of 13% year-on-year from FY2025. Cost of sales also rose, by 19%, resulting in growth of profit after tax of 8%, to US$246m. /Global Cement

Gabon: Morocco-based producer Ciment d Afrique (CIMAF) will expand its industrial capacity in Gabon through a third cement production line and expansion of its clinker plant, for an investment of more than US$45m. The project was presented on 20 May 2026 in Libreville to Gabonese President Brice Clotais Oligui Nguema, by a delegation led by CIMAF CEO Anas Sefrioui. The expansion will reportedly increase local cement production and reduce Gabon s dependence on imports. The new line will be commissioned at CIMAF s Owendo plant, near Libreville. /Global Cement

Nigeria: Lafarge Africa s shareholders have approved a plan to rename the cement maker as HBM Nigeria Plc, marking the formal shift to its new Chinese majority owner Huaxin Building Materials (HBM). The decision was approved at the company s annual general meeting on 30 April 2026. The board was authorised to amend the company s articles and take the steps needed to complete the name change. The rebrand follows Holcim s agreement in December 2024 to sell its almost 84% stake in Lafarge Africa to HBM in a deal valued at about US$1bn. HBM is one of the world s largest cement producers and has been expanding across Africa since the start of the 2020s. /Global Cement

India: The foundation stone for a new grinding plant has been laid by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia. Adani Cement’s unit in Guna, Madhya Pradesh, will receive a total investment of more than US$111m. The project will be developed in two phases, with a total capacity of 4Mt/yr. The first phase is scheduled for commissioning in 2028. The company said that the project will create around 1500 direct and indirect jobs. Pranav Adani, managing director of Adani Enterprises, said “We will execute this project while keeping speed, quality, and the environment in mind. This is the largest investment in Guna to date." He added “This is not merely an investment in a cement plant. It is an investment based on trust in the people of Madhya Pradesh. It is an investment in the future of the local youth. And it is an investment in partnership for the progress of the state." /Global Cement

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Cement will start trial operations at its 12.6MW waste heat recovery project in the second quarter of 2026, according to Zawya news. The company signed a US$34.8m contract with Sinoma Energy Conservation in November 2023 to build the 12.64MW project. Full operations will reportedly begin in the second half of 2026, reducing electricity consumption and operating costs, said CEO Shoeil Al Ayed. It signed a US$22.6m contract with Chengdu Design and Research Institute in December 2025 to build an electrical grid under the Ministry of Energy’s liquid fuel displacement programme. Al Ayed also said that the company would soon announce a 30MW solar panel project, expected to further reduce production costs. /Global Cement

India: Star Cement inaugurated its Cachar unit in Bihara, Assam, on 20 February 2026. The greenfield cement plant has a production capacity of 2Mt/yr and was inaugurated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The plant has its own railway siding, which is expected to improve connectivity and ease transportation of materials. /Global Cement