Africa: How Lafarge Tried to 'Frustrate' Dangote's Cement Expansion in Africa - Obasanjo

What the report says

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said in Nairobi, Kenya, that French cement producer Lafarge had tried to block Aliko Dangote’s efforts to expand cement production in Africa. The remarks, reported by Premium Times and republished by AllAfrica, were made during a groundbreaking event connected to a $16 billion oil refinery project in Lamu and coincided with Dangote Petroleum Refinery’s investor outreach tied to its public share sale.

Obasanjo described Lafarge as having created obstacles for Dangote in several countries, especially Senegal, where he said a completed cement plant faced a land dispute involving local residents. He claimed the company encouraged resistance to Dangote’s project and said the businessman eventually won in court but still had to pay money before operating the factory. The article presents these claims as Obasanjo’s account; it does not include a response from Lafarge.

The former president used the story to argue that policy changes in Nigeria helped Dangote shift from importing cement to building large-scale local plants, later expanding to Tanzania, Ethiopia and Senegal. He linked that industrial growth to Dangote’s later refinery project, saying it showed the value of African economic integration and cross-border investment. The report adds context that Dangote Refinery recently launched a share sale to fund expansion, while a separate refinery project is planned for Kenya’s coast.