GEOLOGISTS from Nigeria’s conglomerate, Dangote Industries Limited, are said to have begun work aimed at setting up a cement manufacturing plant in Zimbabwe.
According to media reports in Zimbabwian, the southern African country’s Secretary of Mines and Mining Development, Francis Gudyanga, confirmed that the geologists were in the field, collecting samples for analysis.
This comes after the chief strategist of the multi-billion dollar company, Abdu Mukhtar, visited Zimbabwe last week and indicated that the Dangote group felt “comfortable and excited” about investing in the country.
“Everything is on track… we will be coming in and out [of Zimbabwe] to do all sorts of things as we kick start the projects,” Mukhtar was quoted as saying.
Dangote industries, which has also expressed interests in coal mining and power generation in Zimbabwe, is owned by Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.
Dangote met with President Robert Mugabe in Harare last year, in a rare sign of possible foreign investment for Zimbabwe, which has been in economic decline for more than a decade.
The Nigerian billionaire said he would spend close to $400 million on the cement plant, which will produce a million and half tons of cement a year, making it the biggest in country.
Dangote had lately said the firm would build cement plants in 18 African countries, including Nepal in Asia to make the continent import-dependent free.
Hemade the announcement at the commissioning of 3.0 million metric tonne per annum (MTPA) cement plant at Mgao Village, Mtwara, Tanzania, stating that the entire Africa firms, which would produce more than 80 metric tons of cement per annum , was to make Africa an export continent rather than import-dependent .
He said the cement plant, which was the largest in Africa after Nigeria, was to stimulate the continent’s growth and create more jobs for its huge population.
According to him, it is time Africans take their destiny in their hands by investing their huge resources in their fatherland.
Dangote said the firm was located in Tanzania because of abundant natural raw material that would keep the firm on for more than 49 years and the country’s steady economic growth.
“ A key factor that drives investments in an economy is the presence of an investor-friendly business climate. Indeed, Tanzania is one of the most attractive investment destinations in Africa.