Algeria's state-owned cement manufacturer, Groupe industriel des ciments d'Algérie (GICA), is advancing plans to establish a new production facility in Chad. This strategic move comes as N’Djamena actively seeks new international partners to secure stable building material supplies for its expanding domestic infrastructure and housing sectors. The project leverages Gica's extensive industrial background, which includes the management of 14 cement plants and 22 specialised subsidiaries within Algeria.
By establishing a permanent industrial footprint in Chad, GICA aims to expand its commercial network beyond the Maghreb and monetise Algeria's significant domestic clinker surplus. The Chadian market is currently undergoing restructuring following a recent state partnership with Morocco's CIMAF group, which created CIM-Chad. The introduction of Gica as an additional industrial player is expected to stimulate local price competition, diversify technology choices, and lower logistics costs associated with maritime imports from the Gulf of Guinea.
Furthermore, a localised factory will serve as a strategic gateway into neighbouring, landlocked Central African markets, including the Central African Republic and parts of Sudan. GICA intends to utilise its specialised technical subsidiaries, such as the material engineering platform CETIM, to maintain strict quality control and provide technical training to the local Chadian workforce. The upcoming phases of the project will focus on securing necessary mining permits, finalising the investment framework, and organising the logistics for fuel and raw materials.
