• CIMKO to invest over $300 million to double DRC cement capacity by 2027
• Expansion to raise output to 3 million tons, create jobs, and cut imports
• Rising demand, illegal imports, and new competitors reshaping Congo’s cement market

Cimenterie Kongo (CIMKO) plans to invest more than $300 million in the Democratic Republic of Congo to double its cement production capacity to 3 million tons a year by 2027, up from 1.4 million tons today, the company said.

The expansion comes as Congo’s construction sector continues to grow with government backing. CIMKO, a joint venture between DR Congo’s Rawji Group and Pakistan’s Lucky Cement, has operated its plant in Songololo in Kongo-Central province since 2018.

The company did not disclose how the new investment will be financed. Its initial entry into the DRC was supported by loans from the African Development Bank and the International Finance Corporation.

“As part of this expansion, CIMKO continues to invest in modern, environmentally friendly technologies to reduce our carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency,” the company said. It added that it is supporting local development through social and economic programs in nearby communities and expects the expansion to create new direct and indirect jobs.

Rising Demand Meets Tight Supply

With cement demand increasing as public and private construction projects accelerate, the higher capacity could strengthen CIMKO’s position as what it describes as the market leader. The company says it aims to help lower cement prices and reduce reliance on imports.

According to the latest figures from the Central Bank of the Congo, the DRC consumed 2.55 million tons of cement in 2023, while local production reached an estimated 2.3 million tons. The shortfall was covered by imports.

Other producers are expanding as well. China’s WIH Cement plans to lift its capacity to 2.2 million tons a year by 2027. The Chinese consortium Avic-Conch has partnered with the Congolese government to restart the National Cement Plant in Kimpese, also in Kongo-Central.

To support domestic industry, Kinshasa banned imports of grey cement and clinker in the southeast and southwest in July 2024. In October 2025, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku called for an investigation after reporting that illegal imports from Nigerian producer Dangote were still entering the country. Some consumers, cited by local outlet Bankable, said rising prices from eight to fifteen dollars per bag in the southeast explain why these imports persist.

The coming months will show how new production capacity from CIMKO and other manufacturers will shape supply, demand and prices in DR Congo’s cement market. The government will also need to strengthen border controls to ensure the investments achieve their intended impact.