By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Dangote Cement Plc has commenced the process of expanding the capacity of its Itori Cement Plant in Ogun State to 12 million metric tonnes per annum (12MTA).

Already, the cement firm has signed a memorandum of understanding of $800 million with Sinoma International Engineering Company Limited for the exercise.

The expansion project will enable Dangote Cement to further meet growing domestic demand while substantially strengthening its export capabilities. The investment is expected to reinforce Nigeria’s position as a leading cement-producing nation and expand the country’s footprint in regional and international cement markets.

The chairman of Dangote Cement, Mr Aliko Dangote, said the decision to embark on the project was driven by Nigeria’s new drive towards using concrete for its road construction and also the to export to needy African countries, all in line with the company’s vision 2030 of producing 90 to 100 metric tons per annum.

According to him, the expansion will not only boost production capacity but also enhance the company’s ability to serve key export markets, generate foreign exchange earnings, create employment opportunities, and contribute to economic growth across the continent.

Dangote noted that the partnership with Sinoma has been instrumental in the successful delivery of several world-class cement manufacturing facilities and that the new investment further demonstrates confidence in Nigeria’s economic potential and the future of Africa’s manufacturing sector.

“This $800 million investment represents another bold step in our commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s industrial base and reinforcing our leadership in Africa’s cement industry.

“The expansion of our Itori plant to 12 million from 6 million metric tons per annum will not only enhance our ability to meet growing domestic demand but also significantly increase our export capacity, thereby generating valuable foreign exchange for the country.

“This project reflects our unwavering confidence in the Nigerian economy and our determination to contribute meaningfully to economic growth, job creation, and regional trade across Africa,” the businessman said.

On his part, the chairman of Sinoma, Mr Lin Zhong, said his organisation remains committed to deploying its engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology to ensure the successful execution of the project, stressing that the expansion will strengthen the competitiveness of Dangote Cement and support the development of sustainable industrial infrastructure.

Upon completion, the expanded facility will serve as a major production and export hub, supplying high-quality cement to both domestic and international markets while further advancing Nigeria’s ambitions as an industrial and manufacturing powerhouse.

“We are honoured to deepen our collaboration with Dangote Group through this landmark expansion project. Over the years, our partnership has produced some of the most modern and efficient cement manufacturing facilities in Africa, and this new investment further demonstrates our shared commitment to industrial excellence.

“The expansion of the Itori plant will not only increase production capacity but also enhance Nigeria’s position as a strategic manufacturing and export hub for the African continent.

“Sinoma will deploy its world-class engineering expertise, advanced technology, and global experience to ensure the successful delivery of this project to the highest standards,” Mr Zhong stated.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Stanbic IBTC Nominees Limited has been commended for its critical role in the Nigerian capital market, especially for safely keeping non-pension assets.

For the past 30 years, the company has provided custody services in Nigeria, and to celebrate this milestone, it was honoured with a closing gong ceremony at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.

The milestone reflects the institution’s longstanding contribution to investor confidence and the continued development of the nation’s capital market.

Welcoming the organisation to Customs Street, the chief executive of NGX, Mr Jude Chiemeka, commended its three decades of custody services, recognising the firm’s role in strengthening investor confidence and enhancing market safety.

He highlighted NGX’s continued investment in technology, which he said has enabled over 2.6 million active retail investors to trade on the platform.

“Technology continues to be at the heart of our strategy,” Mr Chiemeka said, noting that a vibrant and secure marketplace remains essential to investor participation.

In his remarks, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, thanked NGX for its continued partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to be here today, commemorating not just our journey, but also the remarkable progress made by the NGX.”

He noted that the collaboration between the two institutions has continued to drive innovation, product development and thought leadership across the industry.

“We are dedicated to raising standards within the industry as part of Standard Bank Group. Our focus remains driving the growth and development of Nigeria’s capital market. Indeed, Nigeria is our home, and we drive her growth,” he added.

The chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Nominees, Mr Babatunde Majiyagbe, reflected on the evolution of the business from the era of physical share certificates stored in fireproof vaults to today’s fully dematerialised market, where securities are held electronically.

“We started with holding custody of physical certificates, investing in vaults with fire and dust protection, so those certificates could be presented when needed,” Mr Majiyagbe recalled, noting that while the market has evolved significantly, the commitment to service excellence has remained unchanged.

“What has endeared a lot of investors to the market is that they are dealing with a reputable organisation like ours. We are high on good governance, and high on technology, making the process of investment in Nigeria easier,” he said.

Mr Majiyagbe added that Stanbic IBTC Nominees’ role goes beyond just attracting foreign portfolio investment (FPI) and capital.

“For us, it’s not just about FPI; but also about the value we have delivered over 30 years. Stanbic IBTC Nominees continue to be the eyes and ears of foreign and domestic investors in our market,” he stated.

Mr Majiyagbe added that the firm has also supported the development of market rules and safeguards, noting: “We have, over the years, advocated for growth, change, transformation and stability in our capability to provide services to domestic and foreign portfolio investors continuously.”

The deputy chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank and Chairman of Stanbic IBTC Nominees, Mrs Bunmi Dayo-Olagunju, said the next phase of growth will build on the institution’s legacy of trust.

“For 30 years, we’ve delivered growth, security, and client confidence. That’s why investors have stayed with us and why new business keeps coming.

“Our target for this new phase of growth is simple: build on that trust and ride the acceleration in Nigeria’s economic activity.

“With custody, settlement, capital raise, and advisory integrated on one platform, we’re not just a custodian. We’re an infrastructure. We look forward to building on that trust for generations to come, serving both local and international clients. Hopefully, we’ll have another 100 years of maintaining that trust with local and international markets,” Mrs Dayo-Olagunju said.

By Dipo Olowookere

The positive market breadth index recorded by the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited could not save it from further claws of the bears on Friday.

The major performance indicators, the All-Share Index (ASI) and the market capitalisation, depreciated by 0.03 per cent and 0.01 per cent, respectively.

The ASI was down by 78.58 points to 245,283.68 points from the previous day’s 245,362.26 points, and the market capitalisation receded by N14 billion to N158.326 trillion from Thursday’s N158.340 trillion.

Business Post reports that market participants traded 943.0 million equities valued at N46.7 billion in 55,480 deals compared with the 2.1 billion equities worth N230.8 billion transacted in 48,231 deals a day earlier.

This implied that the trading volume shrank by 55.10 per cent, the trading value reduced by 79.77 per cent, and the number of deals surged by 15.03 per cent.

An analysis of the sectoral performance showed that the consumer goods space crashed by 0.60 per cent and the energy index went down by 0.09 per cent.

However, the banking sector improved by 1.90 per cent, the insurance counter expanded by 0.75 per cent, and the industrial goods segment soared by 0.10 per cent.

There were 33 appreciating stocks and 29 depreciating stocks during the last trading session of the week and month of July, indicating bullish investor sentiment despite the poor outcome.

CAP lost 9.97 per cent to trade at N128.25, Veritas Kapital depreciated by 9.49 per cent to N1.43, Vitafoam Nigeria slipped by 7.70 per cent to N179.80, The Initiates dipped by 6.67 per cent to N28.00, and NAHCO crashed by 6.63 per cent to N155.00.

Conversely, Eterna gained 10.00 per cent to sell for N33.00, Consolidated Hallmark also grew by 10.00 per cent to N8.36, McNichols expanded by 9.52 per cent to N5.75, Honeywell Flour increased by 8.96 per cent to N18.25, and First Holdco chalked up 8.00 per cent to quote at N129.55.