Dealers Quote New prices as Cement by Dangote, BUA Rises Above N10,00 Per Bag
- Cement prices have risen above N10,000 per bag across multiple Nigerian states
- Major brands, including Dangote, BUA, Lafarge and Mangal, have adjusted prices upward
- Dealers cite higher production, logistics and statutory costs, while some retailers blame middlemen
Oluwatobi Odeyinka is a business editor at Legit.ng, covering energy, the money market, technology and macroeconomic trends in Nigeria.
The cost of a 50kg bag has gone up to between N10,500 and N11,000 across several states, as builders and consumers grapple with higher construction expenses.
Source: UGC
A market survey conducted by Daily Trust in parts of Kwara, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Kaduna and Jigawa shows that the increase cuts across major brands, affecting contractors, block makers and individuals undertaking private building projects.
Kwara: Prices climb above N10,500
In Ilorin and other parts of Kwara state, cement that sold for between N9,300 and N9,700 per bag in January now averages N10,500 to N10,700, depending on brand and location.
At major building materials hubs in the state capital, Dangote Cement has risen from about N9,500 to between N10,500 and N10,600 per bag.
Similarly, BUA Cement now sells for roughly N10,600 to N10,700, up from about N9,500–N9,600. Products from Lafarge Africa are within the same N10,600–N10,700 range.
Mangal Cement, previously considered the most affordable at N9,300–N9,400, is now priced between N10,500 and N10,600.
Traders attributed the development to rising production and supply chain costs. However, consumers said the explanations have not eased the financial strain.
Abuja: Retail prices hit N11,200 in some markets
In Abuja, a survey of markets, including Utako, shows that BUA cement is selling for as high as N11,200 per bag in some outlets.
Dangote Cement sells for around N10,800 in Utako, while other sellers list it at N11,000. Dealers noted that buyers who purchase a full truckload of 900 bags can secure prices around N10,500 per bag, but such discounts are out of reach for many small-scale builders.
According to traders, transportation, loading costs and distributor margins contribute to the final retail price.
Lagos: Sellers blame middlemen
In Lagos, the price of a bag of cement has climbed from about N9,000 in December 2025 to N10,000 in January 2026, and recently to as much as N11,500 in some areas.
Some retailers accused dealers and middlemen of inflating prices beyond what manufacturers charge. A seller in Ojo said retailers purchase from intermediaries rather than directly from producers, making them vulnerable to markups.
Another trader in Badagry echoed the claim, arguing that transportation costs alone do not justify the current retail prices. Dealers, however, have not publicly responded to the allegations.
Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa: Dealers cite higher supply prices
In Kano, dealers said the benchmark supply price has shifted to N10,500 and above.
A dealer in Kumbotso Local Government Area stated that manufacturers now supply BUA cement at about N10,500, Dangote at N10,450 and Mangal at N10,550 per bag. After adding logistics and overhead costs, retail prices range between N10,800 and N11,000.
Another dealer said cement firms have cited taxes and statutory obligations as part of the reasons for the revised pricing.
Block makers are already adjusting. A Kano-based block producer said nine-inch special blocks have increased from N750 to N800 due to the higher cement cost.
Checks in Kaduna show BUA cement at N10,900, while Dangote and Mangal sell for around N10,800. In Jigawa, some dealers confirmed prices as high as N11,000 per bag. In Zaria, however, certain outlets still sell Sokoto cement, BUA and Dangote at about N10,200.
Cross-border pricing concerns
Some dealers also raised concerns about price differences between Nigeria and neighbouring countries.
A Kano-based dealer claimed Nigerian manufacturers sell cement at lower effective prices in nearby countries. A Nigerian resident in Niamey, Niger Republic, said BUA cement sells for about 3,000 CFA francs per bag, equivalent to roughly N7,500 depending on exchange rates.
Industry observers, however, noted that export pricing may reflect differences in taxes, logistics, exchange rates and promotional strategies, and may not directly compare with domestic pricing structures.
Source: Getty Images
Impact on housing projects
Stakeholders warn that the rising cost could slow down construction activities.
Former president of the Nigerian Institute of Builders, Kunle Awobodu, expressed concern over the development. He said high cement prices weaken purchasing power and discourage building activity, noting reports that prices may be lower in neighbouring countries.
Awobodu called on the federal government to engage manufacturers and explore measures that could ease production costs and improve affordability.
A representative of one cement manufacturer, who spoke anonymously, said the price adjustments are industry-wide and partly linked to imported inputs priced in dollars. He added that prices may moderate if the naira strengthens further.
For many households, the immediate effect is higher project costs. A two-bedroom bungalow can require hundreds of bags of cement, meaning a N1,000 increase per bag could add hundreds of thousands of naira to total construction expenses.
For now, N10,500 appears to have become the new baseline in many cities, with N11,000 increasingly common.
Why cement prices remain high in Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that weak competition and high market concentration are the reasons cement prices are rising in Nigeria, despite the country having more than enough production capacity.
This is according to Agora Policy, a Nigerian policy think tank, which explained the reasons cement prices are higher in Nigeria than in most countries.
The Tink Tank noted that Nigeria has surplus cement capacity, but prices remain high. Agora Policy called for competition reforms instead of reopening imports.
Source: Legit.ng
