*Says rebranding won’t affect products, quality, shareholders
WorldStage– HBM Nigeria Plc, formerly Lafarge Africa Plc has said that it will inaugurate its Ashaka and Sagamu cement plants in January 2027 as part of efforts to boost production capacity, create jobs and support Nigeria’s infrastructure development.
The Chief Executive Officer of HBM Nigeria Plc, Mr Lolu Alade-Akinyemi said in Lagos on Monday while outlining the company’s transition from Lafarge Africa Plc to HBM Nigeria Plc that the expansion projects would add 4.5 million tonnes to the company’s production capacity.
He described the development as one of the key benefits of the company’s transition to HBM Nigeria Plc following its identification with Huaxin Group.
“We’re making significant progress by God’s grace. In January 2027, we would inaugurate both Ashaka and Shagamu plants.
“This expansion will add 4.5 million tonnes to our production capacity, improve product availability and strengthen our ability to serve customers across key markets,” he said.
Alade-Akinyemi described the projects as a remarkable achievement, noting that while cement plants typically take about three years to complete, HBM Group’s engineering expertise and in-house equipment manufacturing had significantly had accelerated the process.
The CEO said the projects would create both direct and indirect employment opportunities, empower youths, promote diversity and inclusion, and create more opportunities for women in the industry.
According to him, the expansion will also stimulate the growth of local suppliers, contractors and small businesses, thereby contributing to Nigeria’s economic development.
Alade-Akinyemi said the additional capacity would enable the company to meet increasing demand arising from major infrastructure projects across the country.
He noted that this include road construction where concrete pavement is increasingly being adopted for its durability and sustainability.
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting the infrastructure development while maintaining high environmental standards.
According to him, HBM Nigeria remains committed to producing environmentally friendly cement with lower carbon emissions, alongside its aggregates, mortar and ready-mix concrete businesses.
He said the company’s new identity reflected a renewed focus on operational excellence, sustainability and innovation while assuring stakeholders that its core values and commitment to quality remained unchanged.
He added that HBM Nigeria would continue to create value for customers, host communities, employees and shareholders as it strengthens its position as a leading player in Nigeria’s building materials industry.(
REBRANDING
The company also assured customers, shareholders and other stakeholders that its transition from Lafarge Africa Plc to HBM Nigeria Plc will not affect its product brands, quality, shareholder value or commitment to sustainable development.
Alade-Akinyemi said the company remained committed to improving product availability and meeting Nigeria’s construction needs through sustainable solutions.
Also, the company’s Head of Marketing, Mrs Oluyomi Moses, said all its established cement brands and other building solutions would retain their names and quality standards in spite of the corporate identity change.
“The impact of the name change on our products and solutions is zero. Nothing has changed.
“Our product brands remain the same and our quality remains the trusted quality Nigerians have relied on for decades,” she said.
Moses said the company continued to offer a wide range of cement solutions tailored to different construction needs, including general-purpose, structural, waterproof, sulphate-resistant and infrastructure cement.
She added that HBM Nigeria pioneered the introduction of low-carbon cement brands in the country, certified to emit lower carbon dioxide, and also developed EcoCrete, a low-carbon ready-mix concrete that cuts carbon emissions by about 30 per cent.
According to her, the company’s “Beyond Buildings” campaign highlights its contributions to Nigeria’s economic growth through landmark infrastructure projects and community development initiatives.
Earlier, the Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development Director, Mrs Viola Graham-Douglas, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to empowering vulnerable groups and fostering sustainable communities.
She said the company’s 2025 female tilers and block-laying training programme, implemented in partnership with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), equipped 50 women from low-income communities with technical, entrepreneurial and financial skills.
According to her, the beneficiaries also received toolkits and participated in a capstone construction project at the Ikeja Youth Centre.
Graham-Douglas said the company’s Disability to Ability (D2A) initiative, implemented in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, trained 100 persons living with disabilities on vocational and entrepreneurial skills, including phone and laptop repairs, shoemaking, makeup artistry, wig making and hair braiding.
She added that HBM Nigeria partnered with Leadway Health to mark World Malaria Day by providing free malaria testing and treatment, insecticide-treated nets, antenatal screening and health education to about 200 vulnerable residents at Ita-Elewa Primary Health Centre in Ikorodu.
She said the company also implemented a gender-based violence prevention programme that reached 230 schoolgirls through counselling, reproductive health education, self-defence training and the distribution of self-care kits.
Graham-Douglas added that HBM Nigeria organised a free breast health screening programme at Akerele Primary Health Care Centre to promote early detection and breast cancer awareness.
She said the company’s “CEO for a Day” initiative continued to expose young people to corporate leadership through mentorship, essay and public speaking competitions, executive shadowing and leadership sessions.
The Head of HBM Eco, Mrs Temitope Dosumu, said the company had strengthened its partnership with the Lagos State Government on environmental sanitation by converting suitable waste into alternative fuel.
Dosumu said the initiative supports the circular economy by reducing waste sent to landfills while promoting cleaner industrial production.
She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to advancing environmental sustainability alongside business growth.
