By Victor Ahiuma-Young

THE Federal Government weekend in  Ibese, Ogun State, confirmed that Nigeria had attained self-sufficiency in the production of cement and indeed now an exporter of the commodity, ascribing the feat to Dangote Cement which spare headed the backward integration policy introduced by the government.

Fayemi

Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who led a team of the federal government to the Dangote Cement plants in Ibese, Ogun State, said the government was happy with the leadership roles played by Dangote Cement in executing the backward integration policy in the cement industry.

The Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Onne Van der Weijde had last month while presenting the financial results of the company for 2016 declared that the Company had commenced exportation of Cement to Nigeria’s neighbouring countries

Speaking, the Minister said it was a success story that Nigeria which few years ago imported over 60 per cent of her cement needs now could produce to meet local demands and still export to other nations.

According to him: “As you all know, as the Federal government moves to diversify the economy away from oil, two areas the government is focusing on are agriculture and solid minerals, this is why we are embarking on tour of mining operations across the country to know the challenges they face and what could be done to tackle those challenges.”