SAN FRANCISCO, November 10, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has granted major cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement, to begin exports across its land borders.
This indicates that the government might be on the verge of reopening trade with neighbouring countries after shutting access over a year ago.
The approval for the cement manufacturer to commence export to Niger and Togo in the third quarter, the first time in ten months, was revealed by Michel Puchercos, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dangote Cement, at an investor call in Lagos.
The CEO attributed the president’s authorization as the factor responsible for the company’s ability to resume cross-border export.
The exemption to Dangote Cement is viewed as preferential treatment by the government that stopped the flow of goods through its land borders since August 2019, and could pave the way for other businesses to fully resume exports across the country’s land barriers.
THEWILL recalls that Nigerian authorities closed borders with neighbouring countries including Benin and Niger to curb smuggling and boost local production. Although the blockade encouraged the consumption of locally grown produce such as rice, it hurt factories across West Africa, which rely on Nigeria’s market of 200 million people.
Dangote resumed land export with “restricted volumes,” and plans to grow the trade using the sea channels, according to Puchercos. A total of 69 tons was exported through land borders in the period, less than one percent of the 11,741 tons of cement exports while shipping by sea is also being explored, the company said.
