Pix: L-R…Abubakar Bawa Bwari, Hon. Minister of State for Solid Minerals Development; Ibrahim Aminu, Managing Director, CCNN Plc; Kabiru Rabiu, Group Executive Director, BUA Group; Abdulsamad Rabiu, Executive Chairman, BUA Group & Chairman CCNN PLC; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Hon. Minister for Solid Minerals Development during a high-level working visit to BUA Group’s Cement Subsidiary, CCNN Sokoto Cement plant.
By Patrick Onuoha
Nigerian industrial giant, BUA Group’s cement subsidiary in Sokoto state, CCNN (also known as Sokoto Cement) will complete its new 1.5million metric tonnes per annum cement plant before the 3rd quarter of 2017.
This was made known by the Founder/Executive Chairman of BUA Group and Chairman of CCNN, Abdulsamad Rabiu, during a working tour of the plant by the Honourable Federal Minister for Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.
Speaking during the visit, Abdulsamad Rabiu said that the 300 million dollars project which began a few years ago, is the first expansion of the plant since 1986 which BUA group took over majority shareholding in 2010. He also informed the minister that the Group has discovered coal in commercial quantities which it intends to use as fuel for a 40MW power plant being constructed as part of the project. This new cement factory willcan use both Coal and LPFO will source its power needs from the plant with the excess power generated to fed to the National grid.
According to Rabiu, BUA’s $300mln investment in the new plant is the single largest private sector led investment in the entire North West Nigeria. He also highlighted the plant’s export potential with it being 100kilometres to the border with Niger Republic and 200kms to the border with Benin Republic. Which according to him, will help the country earn much needed foreign exchange and diversify the economy further.
In his response, the Honourable Minister, Dr. Fayemi commended BUA Group and Sokoto Cement for their contributions to various areas of National Development whilst stating that CCNN is the second-largest employer of labour in Sokoto State – second only to the state government. He commended the company for successfully exploring for coal in the Sokoto area and reiterated the Federal Government’s resolve to support sustainableinvestments in the solid minerals sector which will in turn have immense positive impact on Nigeria and Nigerians.
Cement Company of Northern Nigeria Plc (CCNN), also known as Sokoto Cement, was founded by the Premier of the then Northern Region, Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, theSardauna of Sokoto. It was incorporated in 1962 and commenced production in 1967, with a capacity of 100,000 tons per annum at that time. In 1985, a new production line of 500,000 tons was added and commissioned by the then Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari. Thereafter, in 1986, the first line was shut down due to its uneconomic mode of operation, thus leaving the plant with a rated output of 500,000 tons per annum. The company has however undergone various stages of privatization and changes of ownership since inception until BUA Group took over majority shareholding in 2010 thus bringing it under the larger BUA Umbrella.