Industry experts and stakeholders are calling for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s cement sector to tackle soaring prices and reduce the industry’s carbon footprint by 40%.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum organized by the Society of Cement and Concrete Researchers in Nigeria (SCCRN) in collaboration with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Lagos, participants highlighted the critical need for sustainable alternatives to traditional cement production.
Lauret Grimmeissen, a key speaker at the event, urged Nigeria — Africa’s largest cement producer — to embrace limestone calcined clay cement. According to him, the new material maintains the strength and durability of conventional cement while cutting carbon emissions by up to 40% without increasing production costs.
“Nigeria’s adoption of this innovation is vital. It’s climate-friendly, cost-effective, and has been proven to work elsewhere. Our goal is to share this success and encourage Nigeria to lead by example,” Grimmeissen said.
The Chairman of the Cement Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (CMAN), Mohammed Lawal, represented by Emmanuel Ilaboya, explained that the major source of carbon emissions in cement production stems from the creation of clinker — a key component made by heating limestone at extremely high temperatures.
“It’s not the cement itself that releases CO2; it’s the production of clinker during calcination where carbon from limestone combines with oxygen to form carbon dioxide,” Lawal clarified.
Professor Kolawole Olonode of UNILAG also emphasized the link between cement costs and Nigeria’s housing deficit. He noted that reducing the cost of cement would directly lower construction costs, making housing more affordable for middle- and low-income Nigerians.
“As cement becomes cheaper, construction becomes more accessible, and more people will be able to afford homes,” Olonode said.
The meeting concluded with a collective call for innovation and policy support to drive the cement industry towards greener, more affordable solutions.
