Uganda has boosted its industrial independence with the launch of a major clinker production facility in the Moroto district. President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the first phase of the Yaobai Cement plant in Nanduget, a project expected to significantly reduce the nation's reliance on imported raw materials.
The new 6000tpd production line was made possible through an investment by West China Cement, facilitated by former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. During the ceremony, President Museveni noted that clinker accounts for 85 per cent of cement production and that local manufacturing will protect the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
The local partner, Ambrose Byoona, revealed that the project was inspired by President Museveni’s vision to establish a clinker factory in Karamoja.
The US$300m project is set to produce 2Mta of clinker and 3Mta of cement while creating over 3500 jobs. Beyond meeting domestic demand and saving an estimated US$200m in yearly import costs, the plant is positioned to supply cement to regional markets including South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and western Kenya.
