Lafarge Cement Zambia scales back exports to meet domestic needs

Lafarge Cement Zambia has reduced its exports by 15 per cent due to buoyant domestic construction market needs.

Eugene Chungu, corporate affairs and communication director, told AllAfrica press: "In terms of exports, we have reduced from 35 per cent to 20 per cent of the total produce so that we focus on domestic consumption because the construction sector is booming.

Mr Chungu added that Lafarge is currently exporting to five African countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (the company's largest export market), Tanzania, Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

He noted that the company has continued to carry out routine maintenance works on both cement plants to ensure that performance remained high. "Both plants are operating progressively month by month and routine maintenance works scheduled and conducted to ensure that there is no disturbance in production," he said.

Lafarge Cement Zambia had previously said it expects cement demand to double over the next 10 years, with the average pace of growth being 10 per cent to 2018, according to company estimates. Last year demand rose 11 per cent YoY to 12Mt.

The southern African country has been readying itself to co-host the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly. Scheduled for the end of this month, the meeting will be held in Livingstone, Zambia and Victoria Falls Town, Zimbabwe. Preparations have given rise to a number of projects in Livingstone, such as construction of the town centre market, international bus terminus, new stadium, ablution blocks and upgrading of roads, among others.

With the Zambian construction sector is becoming increasingly pivotal to the economy, the government has also announced the three-phase Zambia 8000 Road Project aimed at the construction and rehabilitation of roads and bridges over the next five years. Moreover, the government has signed a loan agreement with the African Development Bank for US$55m to support the construction and operation of a new 120MW hydropower and transmission project on the Kafue River.