Abdul Samad Rabiu’s BUA Cement to nearly double production capacity

BUA Cement Plc, the publicly listed Nigerian cement company led by billionaire businessman and industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu, is planning to almost double its production capacity as it aims to strengthen its role in West Africa’s construction sector.

On Jan. 20, BUA Cement met at its Dubai office with CBMI Construction Co., Ltd., a global engineering firm focused on cement plants, power and heavy industries. CBMI, with its engineering and project management teams, will help BUA Cement carry out its expansion strategies.

BUA plans cement production expansion

The talks focused on increasing BUA Cement’s annual production from 11 million tonnes to 20 million tonnes, a move aimed at narrowing the gap with Dangote Cement, which has a 52 million-tonne capacity. The expansion is part of BUA’s strategy to capture a larger share of Nigeria’s cement market and strengthen its position in the industry.

Investors on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) are watching closely as BUA prepares to release its 2025 financial results. The company reported a profit of N289.86 billion ($200 million) in the first nine months of 2025, up from N48.97 billion ($33.6 million) during the same period in 2024. Its full-year profit in 2024 was N73.9 billion ($50.7 million).

Rising revenue, driven by steady demand and higher cement prices, contributed to the increase. BUA’s nine-month revenue reached N858.7 billion ($590 million), compared with N583.4 billion ($400.7 million) in 2024. Rabiu remains the majority owner with a 97.66 percent stake. The company expects the planned expansion to boost performance and returns to shareholders.

Abdul Samad Rabiu guides multi-industry expansion

The capacity boost comes as part of a wider effort to strengthen BUA Group’s operations across multiple industries in Africa. Rabiu, who Forbes estimates to have a $9.4 billion fortune, continues to guide the group’s growth across manufacturing, energy and agribusiness.

Recent projects include a 22-megawatt gas-fired power plant in partnership with Green Power International Pvt. Ltd., designed to provide reliable energy for operations and reduce diesel costs. The company has also expanded its food and agribusiness footprint, further adding a 32-tonnes-per-hour rice processing line and collaborating with Türkiye’s Viteral Integrated Milling Systems to build a 40-tonnes-per-hour animal feed mill in Kano.

Among BUA’s most ambitious initiatives is a fully integrated sugar complex. The facility will process 10,000 tons of cane daily, generate 35 megawatts of electricity from bagasse and produce 20 million liters of industrial ethanol annually. The project aims to reduce Nigeria’s sugar imports while supporting local agriculture and power generation.