Cameroon awaits a fourth cement operator in a month

The Turkish group Medcem Cameroon completed its factory in Douala, its products will be advertised on the local market by June 2015.

The information was disclosed at the beginning of last week by the Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in Cameroon. «In the month of June, there will be Turkish cement on the Cameroon market.»

Everything is ready for the marketing of this product manufactured locally to begin", welcomed Omer Faruk Dogan. According to him, "This cement works is proof that Turkish investors are not only interested to sell in Cameroon. The Turkish ambition is also to contribute to the development of the country.

There will be Turkish cement in shops as early as next June. This will mark the entry of a fourth operator on the local market. As a reminder, September 9, 2014, Executive Director of the Turkish company Eren Holdings, Abut Ozsezikli was in Yaoundé for the signing of an investment agreement with the Cameroon Government.

One of his first projects was, indeed, the construction of a cement plant in Douala, through its local subsidiary, Medcem Cameroon. This factory receives exemptions in phase of installation and exploitation, such as provided by the law of April 18, 2013, bringing incentives to private investment in Cameroon.

At the time of the convention signed with the Government, the Turkish investor planned to go operational in March 2015. "With all possible margins, it will be finally be launched at the end of the month of June", confirmed Taha A. Ozbey, Director of the project, reached by telephone by CT.

The company intends to invest 13 billion in this cement and generate 200 direct jobs. For a start, this production facility will have a capacity of 600 000 tonnes per year. Medcem Cameroon can be found on the Cameroonian cement market of french group Lafarge, which currently produces 1.6 million tonnes through Cimencam, its local subsidiary.

The Moroccan Addoha, who operates in the country under the brand name Cimaf and produced 500 000 tons; and the Nigerian Group Dangote, barely two months of production, with also 500 000 tons.

National demand for cement is currently estimated at 2.8 million tons per year. With the new operator, it should largely exceed the constantly growing needs, doped by the multiple infrastructure projects across the country.

According to our source, the choice to invest in cement in Cameroon is due to the fact that the cost per tonne is more profitable.

«In Turkey, per tonne of cement is $ 70, either about 35 000 F while here in Cameroon, it is $ 180, about 90 000 F, or three times more than ours.»

In addition to bring our expertise and participate in the decline of this product in Cameroon, we have a good margin, says Taha A. Ozbey.