Morocco-based cement producer CIMAF will invest more than US$45m to expand its operations in Gabon, including installation of a third production line at its Owendo cement plant near Libreville and additional clinker production capacity.
The expansion project was recently presented to Gabonese President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema by CIMAF chief executive Anas Sefrioui.
The investment comes ahead of Gabon’s planned ban on clinker imports from January 2027 as part of a wider industrialisation strategy aimed at increasing domestic manufacturing and reducing import dependence.
Industry estimates suggest CIMAF Gabon’s cement production capacity could increase to around 1.85Mta following completion of the project, significantly above estimated domestic demand of approximately 0.9Mta.
The expansion is expected to strengthen Gabon’s role as a regional cement export base for Central Africa, supplying neighbouring markets where infrastructure demand remains strong.
CIMAF currently operates in more than 10 African countries, including Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Chad and the Republic of Congo. The producer has increasingly focused expansion efforts on African markets amid weaker construction demand and higher operating costs in Europe.
