Business
Kenya To Facilitate Dangote’s $600m Cement Plant
Chairman, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Sam Amadi (left), discussing with Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Transformation, Dr Robert Ichord (right), US Department of State Bureau for Energy Resources, who led a delegation to NERC in Abuja, recently. With them is Sharon Pauling, Director, Economic Growth and Environment Office, USAID, Nigeria.
The Kenyan government has said that it has almost completed the process of facilitating the establishment of a 600 million dollar cement plant by Dangote Group in that country.
The Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, Mr William Ruto, who said this shortly after being led on a facility tour of Dangote Group cement plant at Obajana , Kogi State, said that a licence, that would eventually pave the way for the establishment of the cement plant this year, would be ready in a couple of months.
Ruto, who was at the head of a nine-man delegation from the East African country, said that he was “thoroughly impressed ‘’ by the development at the Obajan cement plant, adding that what he saw had further emboldened his country’s inherent belief in African entrepreneurship.
He described the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as a major African entrepreneur, saying that he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Kenyan government was dealing with the right man.
The Deputy President said that his country was looking forward to the partnership with Dangote Group with a lot of hope that it will bring about a fundamental change in the cement production sub sector of the Kenyan economy.
Also speaking to journalists, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said that his company had concluded arrangement to establish the 600 million dollar cement plant in Kenya this year.
The cement plant, he said would have the capacity to produce three million tonnes of cement per year, saying that this intention was to replicate Obajana and Ibeshe experiences in Kenya.
He said that his company, which currently operates in 15 other African countries, would create millions of jobs in Kenya and help to boost activities in its cement sector. Our Correspondent, who covered the visit, reports that Ruto planted a tree to commemorate his visit to the cement plant.
Ruto and the team have since returned to Kenya.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.