Dangote Cement Is Saying the Right Things, But Will the Company Walk the Talk?

SOStainabilityWeekly

Edited by Oke Epia, E-mail: sostainability01@gmail.com  | WhatsApp: +234 8034000706

Industry Monitor

Dangote Cement has been in the news lately. This time, it is not about the debate over competitive product pricing or corporate rivalry. Or about some ugly stories involving its trucks and haulage. It is a news item that is easy to gloss over, except, of course, the reader has a strong interest in sustainability, decarbonization, net zero, and the rest of the jargon that has made the most important conversation on earth and the future of humanity and the planet an elitist affair. (Unfortunately, not being a didactic article, this piece will stick to the use of specialised terminology to drive home the point.)     

It is sweet melody to the ears that such a big player in the built environment is committing to carbon reduction. According to the news report, the Group Managing Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Arvind Pathak, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sustainable manufacturing and low-carbon production at the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) dialogue held in Madrid, Spain.

“With Africa’s infrastructure demand continuing to rise, the sector must pursue growth while embracing innovative pathways to reduce carbon emissions,” the chief executive reportedly said, adding: “A key takeaway, especially for the African cement sector in the context of the evolving global economic and regulatory landscape, is the need to accelerate our decarbonisation pathway through increased utilization of alternative fuels, reduction of clinker content in cement and investment in innovative cement technologies suited to local realities.”

A follow-through of this commitment will be more important than its expression. This is because the built environment plays a critical role in Nigeria’s energy transition plan. The building and construction sector, as the backbone of infrastructure development, is expected to achieve net zero by 2060. But the current reality is daunting: It is estimated that the construction sector accounts for up to 40 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Nigeria. Cement production alone is said to account for about half of that figure. This means several important steps have to be taken in product design, production and deployment, including cement. Reduction in embodied carbon is a major step in this direction. And this is where the commitment by Dangote Cement kicks in. The ripple effect of walking the talk of this commitment would be decisive in determining whether the next zero target for the sector is achieved or not. This makes it imperative for other cement companies to toe the same path of bold ambition on carbon reduction. It is worth noting, according to the reports, that Pathak is an elected member of the GCCA Board. This means that Dangote Cement is represented in the policy and decision-making echelon of global decarbonisation efforts. This leadership position matters in mobilizing whole-of-industry action to move towards greener, less polluting, and sustainable cement manufacturing in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Spotlight

Yemi Osinbajo Adds Another Feather to His Climate Cap

Professor Yemi Osinbajo, teacher, pastor, and politician, surely understands the wisdom of times and seasons. That he has arguably made the crucial transition to statesmanship is no longer news. After all, some leaders in contemporary times retire from the peak of public service into the sublime realm of mentorship, memoir-writing, and measured advocacy for often non-partisan causes. However, it is the nature of Osinbajo’s post-public office engagement that is in focus here.

Shortly after leaving office, Osinbajo pivoted fully to championing climate action, focusing on the work he had started as vice president. While in office as the country’s number two citizen, he took charge of several significant national assignments on climate change and Nigeria’s energy transition efforts.   

A few days ago, the former vice president was announced as president of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). This was at the foundation’s 37th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was held in Lagos. The NCF is Nigeria’s “premier non-governmental organisation dedicated to nature conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria.” It is one of the oldest, most respected and formidable NGOs in the country, attracting accomplished individuals with unimpeachable integrity to serve in its leadership. Osinbajo has taken over the reins of leadership from Chief Philip Asiodu, a nationalist bureaucrat of unblemished fame. He knows fully well what the task ahead is and how to approach it. “We are basically building on the work that has been done. Now we have better resources, better technology, and the enthusiastic support of young people committed to climate action. I think we are in a very good place to advance the great work that has been done by the Foundation,” he said in accepting the mantle of leadership. This page wishes Prof. Osinbajo a productive tenure at the NCF.

SOS Alert

“Nigeria is blessed. Few nations on earth carry the range and richness of mineral deposits that lie across our states—gold, lithium, tin, coal, tantalite, and many more. On paper, these resources should be transforming livelihoods, funding schools and hospitals, and strengthening our national economy. Yet, for too long, a troubling gap has persisted between the wealth in our ground and the prosperity in our communities”

• Hon. Sanni Abdulraheem, Chairman, House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering