…ramps up production capacity to meet local demand
BY BANYO TEMITAYO
Dangote Cement Plc is expected to pay a total of N40.39 billion in taxes to the nation’s treasury from its operational result in the first quarter of 2021.
According to the financial result published by the country’s largest cement manufacturer on Friday, April 30, 2021, the amount is due from corporate tax for the period ended March 31, 2021.
The amount of corporate tax due from Dangote Cement in the first three months of this year is higher by 47.3 per cent, compared with the N27.42 billion paid in the corresponding period of 2020 financial year, the company said.
In addition, the company currently pays over N240 million Value Added Tax, daily, to the government, making Dangote Cement one of the biggest private sector tax payers in the country.
As part of the company’s corporate social responsibility, in line with the government’s quest to boost infrastructural development in the country, Dangote Cement opted to provide funding for the constructions of major roads in Lagos and Kogi States.
The roads are the critical Lagos Apapa Port road leading to the old tollgate and the Lokoja-Obajana-Kabba road straddling Kogi and Kwara states.
Further analysis of the financial report showed that the company ramped up production capacity in the Obajana Line 5 and resumed production at the Gboko plant to meet increased demand for its products.
Dangote Cement also increased the total volume of cement sold in the first three months of the year from its Nigerian operations to 4.9Mt compared to the 4.0Mt sold in the first quarter of 2020.
“As ever, we are committed to keeping our staff and communities safe by being fully compliant with health and safety measures in all our territories of operation”
Pan-African operations sold 2.6Mt of cement in the period under review compared to 2.3Mt sold in the corresponding period in 2020.
The cement maker said it was making efforts to start the Okpella Plant before the end of June in order to meet the increasing demand for cement in the country and help to moderate prices in the market.
Commenting on the financial result, Dangote Cement GMD/Chief Executive Officer, Michel Puchercos, said that the company started the first quarter of 2021 on a positive note and recorded increases in revenue and profitability.
He said the cement company posted a profit after tax of N89.7 billion.
A statement from the company at the weekend quoted him as saying, “We took the strategic decision to pause our clinker exports to ensure we meet the rapid volume growth in the Nigerian domestic market. We are improving the output of our existing and new assets and aim to recommence clinker exports in the second quarter.
“Our Pan-Africa operations have reached new heights, with an EBITDA margin of 25.5 per cent and volume growth of 12.8 per cent reported during the quarter. One of our priorities in 2021 is to strengthen our alternative fuel initiative. It focuses on leveraging the circular economy business model, optimising costs and reducing exposure of our cost base to foreign currency fluctuations.”
“As ever, we are committed to keeping our staff and communities safe by being fully compliant with health and safety measures in all our territories of operation,” he added.
Dangote Cement Plc is sub-Saharan Africa’s largest cement producer with an installed capacity of 48.6Mta across 10 African countries and operates a fully integrated “quarry-to-customer” business with activities covering manufacturing, sales and distribution of cement.
