Cement Prices Rise in Sri Lanka and Nigeria

Cement manufacturers in Nigeria and Sri Lanka have implemented price increases, though the economic impact varies significantly between the two nations. In Sri Lanka, the retail price of 50-kilogram bags rose by Rs. 100, bringing the cost to between Rs. 2,200 and Rs. 2,350. Local manufacturers attributed the hike to rising energy and import expenses, which observers warn could slow development for lower and middle-income households and inflate budgets for infrastructure projects.

In contrast, Nigerian cement producers leveraged higher prices and increased demand from private housing and government projects to achieve substantial financial growth. The three largest producers—Dangote Cement Plc, BUA Cement Plc, and HBM Nigeria—reported a combined revenue of N5.8 trillion for the first nine months of 2026, marking a 21 percent increase over the previous year.

Among the Nigerian firms, Dangote Cement remained the largest earnings contributor, while BUA Cement recorded the fastest profit growth. HBM Nigeria also reported a profit before tax increase of 32.3 percent to N414.43 billion. Executives in Nigeria attributed these gains to disciplined cost management and logistics restructuring, including the acquisition of LNG trucks to maintain resilience during challenging conditions.