Chad: Cimaf’s cement production falls by 50% by 2024.

Cimaf Chad’s production was halved in 2024, reaching only 182,500 tonnes compared with 365,000 tonnes the previous year.

This was due to logistical difficulties hampering the transport of clinker, the essential raw material for cement manufacture.

According to Cimaf, new customs formalities and rail restrictions are slowing down the transit of clinker between the port of Douala and the N’Djamena plant. In addition, limited transport capacity, in particular the lack of priority wagons for industrial raw materials, is exacerbating the situation.

This drop in production has led to a cement shortage in Chad, where annual demand is estimated at 400,000 tonnes. Sonacim, the former state-owned cement plant currently being privatised, now produces only a marginal quantity, leaving Cimaf as the main market player.

Faced with the scarcity of cement, prices have exploded on the local market. Officially, Cimaf has kept its prices between 5,500 and 8,500 CFA francs per 50kg bag. In reality, however, increased demand, particularly for ongoing public works, has pushed prices up to 12,000 Fcfa at some resellers, an increase of 50%.

To remedy this crisis, Cimaf Chad plans to double its production by 2025, aiming for 1,000 tonnes per day, or an annual volume of 365,000 tonnes. The aim is to stabilise the market and reduce pressure on prices.

source: Business In Cameroon