Angola: The Secretary of State for Industry, Carlos Rodrigues, has visited the CES Angola cement plant under development in the municipality of Sequele, in Icolo and Bengo province. During the visit, Rodrigues toured the different sections of the plant and received detailed briefings on the project. The US$25m project will produce cement under the UNICIMENTO brand and has already created around 200 jobs, according to local press. Once operational on 30 January 2026, the plant will have an installed capacity of 0.6Mt/yr of cement.

In an area adjacent to the cement plant, construction of a clinker production line is currently underway. This unit is expected to be completed by October 2026.

Yemen: The Customs Authority controlled by the Houthi movement in Sana’a has announced a 50% increase in tariffs on locally produced cement, citing support for the Yemeni Cement Corporation as justification, according to local press. The decision was reportedly issued without prior consultation with cement producers, distributors or other stakeholders, and without a clear legal or economic basis, and has ‘disrupted’ the construction sector.

In a formal memorandum, cement producers and distributors rejected the tariff increase, warning of ‘serious repercussions’ for building material prices. The statement argued that supporting national institutions ‘should not come at the expense of citizens or a vital sector that directly affects people’s lives.' It added that fiscal and customs decisions should be grounded in transparent legal frameworks, serve the public interest and be introduced responsibly rather than imposed abruptly in ways that harm the economy.

The situation has been compounded by the continued detention of cement trucks at a newly established customs checkpoint in Dhamar for more than a week [as of 25 January 2026]. Since 15 January 2026, concrete companies have shut down and construction work has halted across most projects due to cement shortages.

Bolivia: Cement producer Fancesa will begin exporting cement to Argentina under a new contract valued at US$1.5m, according to Platts, part of S&P Global Energy. The company’s president, Nestor Guido Calvo, said the initial deliveries will consist of cement packed in 50kg bags, with shipments starting in the second week of February 2026. The agreement runs for one year and involves bimonthly deliveries to northern Argentine provinces, including Salta, Jujuy and Tucumán.

Calvo said the continuation or expansion of the contract will depend on how the product is received in the Argentine market. He added that Chile is also being considered as a potential export destination.

Iraq: Dana Gas has secured long-term gas supply agreements to fuel cement plants in the Kurdistan region from 2027, under deals signed by the Pearl Petroleum Consortium with major industrial producers. The agreements were concluded with five cement manufacturers in the Bazian industrial area: Mass Cement, Bazian Cement, Delta Cement, Gasin Cement and Sulaimani Cement, as well as Van Steel in Erbil.

Gas will be supplied from the Chemchemal field, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027, when production from the field is expected to start. Under the 10-year agreements, industrial customers will collectively purchase up to 4Mm³/day of gas.

To support the project, new private-sector pipelines will be constructed to transport gas from Chemchemal to industrial users. Plans include a dedicated 40km pipeline linking the field directly to the Bazian industrial corridor. The switch to natural gas is intended to replace heavier and more expensive fuel oils currently used by manufacturers, while improving operational efficiency and reducing emissions.