Dangote group begins work in Zimbabwe

Geologists from Nigeria’s Dangote Industries Limited have reportedly begun work aimed at setting up a cement manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe.
According to Zimbabwe’s state-controlled Herald newspaper, the southern African country’s secretary of mines and mining development, Francis Gudyanga, confirmed that the geologists were in the field, collecting samples for analysis.

This comes after the chief strategist of the multi-billion dollar company, Abdu Mukhtar, visited Zimbabwe last week and indicated that the Dangote group felt “comfortable and excited” about investing in the country.

“Everything is on track… we will be coming in and out [of Zimbabwe] to do all sorts of things as we kick start the projects,” Mukhtar was quoted as saying.

Dangote industries, which has also expressed interests in coal mining and power generation in Zimbabwe, is owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Dangote met with President Robert Mugabe in Harare last year, in a rare sign of possible foreign investment for Zimbabwe, which has been in economic decline for more than a decade.

The Nigerian billionaire said he would spend close to $400 million on the cement plant, which will produce a million and half tons of cement a year, making it the biggest in country.