Dangote allowed to resume overland exports

Nigeria’s government has allowed Dangote Cement to resume exports across the country’s land borders, reports Bloomberg. The step has raised expectations that the country may be opening up trade with its neighbours again.

Land borders have been closed for over one year as authorities curbed smuggling and wanted to boost local production. While it encouraged the consumption of locally-grown produce such as rice, factories across west Africa have been impacted by the closure.

The regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) gave its authorisation for Africa’s biggest producer to export cement to Niger and Togo in the third quarter for the first time in 10 months, Michel Puchercos, chief executive officer, said. The export was made possible “through authorisation given by this administration,” he said.