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Dangote Group has commenced the construction of a $1 billion cement plant in Okpella, Edo State. President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said the Okpella cement plant has a production capacity of six million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) and is expected to be completed in 26 months. The plant will also provide 6,000 direct jobs and 45,000 indirect jobs in the community.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Edo State on Sunday as part of activities to mark Dangote’s 59th birthday. When the Okpella plant and another plant in Itori, Ogun State, are completed, Dangote Cement’s total output in Nigeria will rise to 41.25mmtpa.

“This project is only one of our several successful projects currently ongoing in different parts of the country and in more than 15 other locations in Africa in line with our Pan African investment strategy,” Dangote said. “By the time all these new projects are completed in the next few years, we will have a total capacity of 81 million metric tonnes per annum. This will make us one of the top six cement companies in the world.”

In his remarks, Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals, said the Okpella plant is consistent with the diversification agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari, which seeks to create huge revenue inflows in the face of declining oil prices.

“The mining sector has the capacity to contribute over $25 billion to the national economy by 2025, creating new employment opportunities, developing local content and increasing tax revenue for the state and the federal governments,” Fayemi said.

The Dangote Group is currently ramping up its cement production capacity in Nigeria, its largest market, and across Africa to take advantage of growing demand for housing and infrastructure. Last year, the company signed a $4.34 billion deal with a Chinese firm to build cement plants in 10 African countries as well as Nepal.

In addition to manufacturing, the Dangote Group is also investing heavily in Nigeria’s agricultural sector. In 2014, the company signed agreement with the federal government to invest $1 billion to cultivate rice in five states: Jigawa, Kebbi, Kwara, Edo, and Niger States.

“We envisage producing up to one million tonnes of white rice with the cultivation of 200,000 hectares of land,” Dangote said. “This will lead to a conservation of about $11 billion currently spent on the importation of food items that could otherwise be produced locally.”