The Ebonyi State Government has concluded plans to establish a new cement factory and will send a delegation of stakeholders to China to study and assess suitable facilities for the project.The delegation is expected to include key players in the mining sector, captains of industry, manufacturers, designers, and builders as part of efforts to ensure the successful execution of the proposed factory.

An insider disclosed that Governor Francis Nwifuru is expected to lead the team to China to inspect selected cement plants and identify models that best fit the state’s industrialisation plans.The move follows difficulties encountered in attempts to reactivate the Nigerian Cement Company (NIGERCEM), Nkalagu, prompting the government to opt for a fresh establishment instead.

It will be recalled that the state government has allocated ₦150 billion in its 2026 budget for the proposed cement factory project.
During a recent inspection tour of the NIGERCEM site in Nkalagu, Governor Nwifuru said preliminary studies revealed significant limestone deposits in Nkalagu and Effium, sufficient to support cement production for over 30 years.According to him, the deposits are estimated at about 50 million tonnes in Nkalagu and 23 million tonnes in Effium.

“We have 50 million tonnes of limestone in Nkalagu and 23 million tonnes in Effium. Combined, they can sustain the factory for a minimum of 30 years,” the governor said.
Nwifuru explained that the proposed plant would be fully operational upon completion, adding that it would create jobs and reduce the cost of building materials in Ebonyi State, the South-East, and across Nigeria.

 

He stressed that the project was not politically motivated but part of his administration’s industrialisation agenda under the People’s Charter of Needs.
“The establishment of the new factory is neither politically motivated nor driven by any hidden interest. It is part of the industrialisation component of our People’s Charter of Needs programme,” he said.

The governor added that foreign technical partners currently in the state were assessing limestone deposits and other requirements necessary for the project, while expressing optimism about timely completion.

 

Nwifuru also stated that no individual, including himself, would hold shares in the company, insisting that the initiative was purely in the public interest.
He commended stakeholders for their support and praised the Governor of Anambra State for his continued interest in efforts to revive the former NIGERCEM facility.