Mara, JS Groups, others to build float glass manufacturing plant in Nigeria

In a move to significantly contribute to remedying the shortage of domestically produced float glass, Egi MJG Float Glass, a joint venture between the Egi Community in River State, Mara Group, JS Group and Ghani Group, has announced the groundbreaking for their first float glass manufacturing plant in Nigeria.

Egi MJG Float Glass brings together international groups with complementary sector and local expertise. Mara Group is a multi-sector conglomerate with operations in 19 African countries. JS Group is an industrial conglomerate with investments primarily in developing economies throughout Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Ghani Group is a leading glass manufacturer with plants in the UAE and Pakistan, and a total production capacity of over 300,000 tonnes.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Prashant Manek, director at Mara Group, said, according to a statement posted Friday on PR Newswire : “This project is a first step in making Nigeria self-sufficient in terms of glass manufacturing. As a result of the strategic location and the locally available raw materials, we are highly confident that we will be able to build a world-class, cost-competitive facility.”

The proposed plant is aimed at curbing Nigeria’s high dependence on imports from Europe, South America and China for float glass as domestic demand is increasing as a result of the country’s booming housing industry, and currently estimated at 360,000 tonnes per year.