The Dangote Cement Plc is targeting 20 per cent emissions reduction as it declared Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles as the heart of its drive towards becoming Africa's most sustainable and globally competitive cement manufacturer.

It also reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable industrialisation in line with the sustainablity strategies of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) Vision 2030.

Presenting the company's 2025 Sustainability scorecard at its 17th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, Chairman of Dangote Cement Plc, Mr. Emmanuel Ikazoboh, highlighted how sustainability has evolved in the company from a compliance requirement into a core business strategy that supported growth, resilience and long-term value creation across Africa.

Ikazoboh said that as part of the company's decarbonisation agenda, the company in 2024 approved plans to further reduce net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions intensity by 20 per cent, while accelerating the transition to cleaner transportation.

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He said: "By 2027, all fleet trucks operating in Nigeria--except at the Gboko plant--will run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), with electric trucks scheduled for introduction in 2026."

The cement giant also announced plans to strengthen its position as Africa's leading cement exporter through expanded port infrastructure at Apapa, Onne and Lekki, while pursuing capacity expansion programmes that will increase installed production capacity to 80 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2030, including new footprints in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

These initiatives supported Dangote Group's Vision 2030 ambition of building a globally competitive industrial powerhouse rooted in sustainability and innovation.

On climate action, the company reported measurable progress in reducing its environmental footprint, achieving a 6.5 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions intensity from its 2021 baseline. Energy efficiency also improved, with energy intensity reduced by 1.7 per cent and overall energy consumption declining by 4 per cent. Water consumption fell by 8 per cent during the period under review.

These environmental achievements build on Dangote Cement's decarbonisation strategies such as the use of alternative fuels, energy efficiency and reduction in clinker factor which integrates climate objectives into long-term capital investment decisions and positions the company among Africa's leading industrial players in the transition towards a low-carbon economy.

In the governance space, Dangote Cement enhanced its ESG risk management framework through the onboarding of an Artificial Intelligence Risk Management Policy, Biodiversity, Disability Inclusion policy and the integration of 297 local vendors into its ESG-focused supply chain programme.

Amid excitement from the shareholders, Ikazoboh noted that sustainability governance has matured significantly over the past decade, with executive accountability mechanisms, climate risk oversight and ESG performance management now firmly embedded within operational and strategic decision-making processes.

He also spoke on circular economy and biodiversity, during which he highlighted major achievements in resource stewardship and environmental conservation.