PPC, Zimbabwe’s largest cement producer, says it is unfazed by speculation that Africa’s biggest cement maker, Dangote Cement, could enter the local market.
With cement demand surging on the back of rapid construction growth, questions have been raised about whether PPC — which has 1.4 million tonnes of annual capacity and dominates the market — should be worried about potential new entrants.
But PPC Africa CEO Matias Cardarelli is not losing any sleep.
“There’s a difference between announcement and reality… between what people say, and what they will do,” he said during a briefing. Dangote Cement chairman Aliko Dangote met Zimbabwe’s President last week, prompting speculation of a new plant. But Cardarelli says there is no sign the project is close to becoming real. “We don’t have any indication that that project is going to materialise anytime soon.”
Zimbabwe’s construction boom has sharply lifted PPC’s performance. In the six months to September, sales volumes jumped 25%, with the Zimbabwe business sending a record US$20 million dividend to the group. PPC Africa now earns half of its total profit from Zimbabwe.
Cardarelli acknowledged concerns about the age and efficiency of some PPC Zimbabwe plants, but said investment is underway to modernise operations. The company has launched a three-year upgrade programme, beginning with a major shutdown at its Colleen Bawn plant in the first quarter of FY26.
PPC also signed a new partnership with Sinoma Overseas, the world’s largest cement engineering company, to help upskill local teams and accelerate efficiency improvements.
“We are updating the technology in Zimbabwe… It’s very important to update and to well maintain our assets,” Cardarelli said.
PPC is also rolling out a 20MW solar project expected to cut energy costs and reduce carbon emissions significantly — a key part of the company’s long-term sustainability strategy.
The company already operates Zimbabwe’s newest cement plant at Msasa, Harare, giving it what Cardarelli describes as “good assets” to meet rising demand.
For now, Cardarelli’s answer is simple: no. The company continues to monitor developments, but he says investors must “differentiate between announcement and reality” — not just in Zimbabwe, but across the region where similar claims of big new entrants regularly surface.
With demand rising, fresh investment rolling out and no immediate sign of Dangote breaking ground, PPC appears confident of holding its dominant position for the foreseeable future.
