A 10-point timeline of facts you need to know about the cement industry in Rwanda

CIMERWA, previously owned by South Africa’s PPC (with a majority shareholding), was recently acquired by the Devki Group. Months later, CIMERWA acquired PRIME Cement. The cement industry in Rwanda has undergone significant transformations, evolving from modest beginnings to becoming a critical component of the country's infrastructure development. This timeline highlights key milestones and pivotal moments that have shaped the industry's journey, offering insights into its growth, challenges, and prospects.

1. In 1984, CIMERWA was commissioned and managed by a Chinese company, CBMC, under a build-own-operate and transfer agreement until July 2006 
    
2. 2001 CIMERWA’s capacity was upgraded to 100,000 tonnes per annum.
    
3. In 2006, CIMERWA, the only player in the cement industry, was privatised under the Rwanda Investment Group. 
    
4. In 2012, Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC), South Africa’s largest cement firm, acquired a majority of 51% shares of CIMERWA. Two years later, it launched a new corporate identity and opened a new operation plant. 
    
5. In 2018, Prime Cement, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Milbridge Holding SA, began constructing a new $65m cement factory in Musanze District, Rwanda's northern region. The factory's first phase came online in August 2020, and production began in September 2020.
    
6. In 2019, CIMERWA recorded its first profit since the opening of the new plant, and a year later, it became the first and only cement-producing firm ever listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange. 
    
7. In 2022, Rwanda’s cement demand was estimated to be about 950,000 tonnes annually, against a domestic supply of 480,000 tonnes. According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the domestic supply of cement staggers around 600,000 tonnes.
    
8. In 2023, the Chinese-owned Anjia Cement, with a total investment of about $100m, was inaugurated in Muhanga.
    
9. In 2024, early this year, Kenya’s National Cement Company (under the Devki Group conglomerate) formally acquired a 99.94 per cent stake in CIMERWA in an $84.3m deal that expanded its cement operations in East Africa. 
    
10. Just months later (in 2024), CIMERWA acquired Prime Cement. 

READ RELATED ARTICLE:
Could CIMERWA Reclaim Monopoly in Rwanda's Cement Market with PRIME Acquisition?

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