The Federal Government, through the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has summoned cement manufacturers in Nigeria to a meeting following the increase in the price of the commodity.
Those invited to the meeting include Dangote Plc, BUA Plc, Larfarge, and other manufacturers.
The meeting with the minister, which is aimed at looking into the challenges that led to the latest hike in price, is scheduled for Monday, February 19, 2024, at the Federal Ministry of Works, Mabushi-Abuja, at 1 pm.
According to a statement on Saturday by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Uchenna Orji, the minister was worried by the escalating cost of commodity despite huge patronage by road and housing contractors to cement manufacturers.
The statement read, “Worried by the escalating cost of cement despite huge patronage by road and housing contractors to cement manufacturers, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has summoned an urgent meeting of all cement manufacturers in Nigeria.
“It is common knowledge that the manufacturers have their challenges, which we shall look into, but from our findings, the disparity between the ex-factory price and the market price is wide. We therefore need to look into the situation and other issues to find a common front.”
In a bid to stem the rising cost of cement and other building materials and enhance the delivery of affordable housing in Nigeria, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, called for a meeting on Thursday with manufacturers of cement and other building materials in Nigeria.
The move was aimed at better understanding the challenges in the sector, sharpening measures to mitigate the rising cost of building materials in the country, and finding sustainable ways to address them.
