Dangote Cement Cameroon started 2026 on a weaker footing. According to the group’s quarterly report, the Cameroonian subsidiary recorded a 15.8% year-on-year decline in sales volumes in the first quarter, to about 300,000 tons, in contrast with trends observed in several other African markets.
The group attributes this performance to a slower start to the year in Cameroon, in a post-election environment marked, according to the company, by a slowdown in construction activity. In its report, Dangote Cement notes that delays in public spending and slower execution of infrastructure projects weighed on demand, limiting the contribution of the industrial sector to growth during the quarter.
In a country where the construction sector relies heavily on public procurement, especially for road infrastructure, administrative buildings, and housing programs, any slowdown in project execution quickly affects cement consumption. The decline recorded by Dangote Cement Cameroon highlights the sensitivity of the market to budget decisions and the pace of public investment.
This downturn comes despite a relatively stable macroeconomic environment. The group points out that inflation remained contained at around 2.5% in 2025 and early 2026, a level that typically provides greater visibility for businesses. This stability, however, did not support demand in the construction sector.
On the industrial side, Dangote Cement also highlights increased clinker flows within the group. During the period, the Nigeria region shipped 378,200 tons of clinker to Cameroon and Ghana, a 58.8% increase compared with the same period in 2025. These transfers reflect the group’s integration strategy, which relies on intra-group trade to secure supply for its subsidiaries, particularly for grinding operations.
The decline in Cameroon contrasts with performance in several other African markets in the first quarter of 2026. Sales volumes rose by 31.5% in Ethiopia to 657,700 tons, by 24.7% in Tanzania to 592,800 tons, by 15.8% in Senegal to 347,300 tons, and by 16.2% in Zambia to 210,400 tons. Even in Ghana, where sales fell slightly by 2.1%, the decline remained far smaller than in Cameroon.
At the group level, Dangote Cement reported strong results. Revenue rose by 20.4% to 1,198 billion naira, or about CFA479.2 billion, while net profit increased by 53.5% to 321.1 billion naira, equivalent to about CFA128.4 billion.
These results confirm the group’s overall strength across the continent but highlight the weaker performance of its Cameroonian subsidiary in the first three months of the year. They also underline the continued dependence of the local cement market on public spending and the pace of infrastructure project execution.
Amina Malloum
