The Cement Producers Association of Nigeria has cautioned that the federal government’s ongoing plan to install concrete roads will increase cement’s price from its present level of N5,000 per bag to N9,000 per bag.

It also encouraged the current administration to encourage greater participation in the cement industry in order to permanently address the issue of ongoing cement price hikes, stressing that Nigerians have no business purchasing cement for more than N5,600 per bag.

The group applauded the works minister’s stance on cement-made roads in a statement co-signed by the national chairman, Prince David Iweta, and national secretary, Chief Reagan Ufomba, on Sunday but warned of serious implications if the supply end was not properly addressed.

As a solution, the cement producers urged the government to lay more emphasis on road design that allows both cement technology and asphalt pavement to run concurrently.

The statement reads, “Our findings from various parts of the country show that cement sells for as high as N6000 per bag in the rainy season.

“Our prediction is that it will sell for over N9,000 per bag in the dry season, especially with the pronouncement of the Honourable Minister of Works on cement technology and the marching order on housing by Mr President if the government does not take proactive steps.

“While we commend the Honourable Minister’s position on cement-made roads, we warn of the dire consequences if the supply end is not properly addressed. In fact, it would amount to dereliction of duty not to intervene. And the time is now.

“To do otherwise is to continue in a worsening pipe dream that prices would suddenly drop on this essential input that will continue to drain the purse of Nigerians, render them homeless, encourage chaos between demand and supply, and worsen the infrastructure deficit it sets out to cure, and lead to an unprecedented price hike.”