President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned a major calcined clay cement facility at the Tema Free Zones Enclave, a development presented by authorities as part of Ghana’s broader efforts to expand domestic manufacturing capacity and support lower carbon industrial production. The plant, developed by CBI Ghana, represents an investment estimated at approximately 110 million United States dollars and is reported to have an annual production capacity of about 1.5 million tonnes of cement.
The commissioning reflects growing interest across Africa in alternative cement technologies designed to reduce the environmental footprint of construction materials while supporting industrial development. The facility uses Limestone Calcined Clay Cement technology, commonly referred to as LC3, which combines limestone, calcined clay and reduced quantities of clinker. Researchers have identified this approach as a viable pathway to lowering carbon emissions in cement production while maintaining structural performance required for construction (Scrivener et al., 2018; Berriel et al., 2016).
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony in Tema, President Mahama described the facility as an important contribution to Ghana’s industrialisation strategy. According to the presidency, the government aims to increase manufacturing’s share of national gross domestic product to at least 15 percent by 2030. The administration has framed this target as part of a wider economic transformation agenda intended to expand domestic value addition, strengthen industrial employment and support regional trade integration.
The plant has been developed within the Ghana Free Zones Authority enclave, an industrial framework designed to encourage export oriented manufacturing and attract foreign and domestic investment. Officials from the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry and the Free Zones Authority have indicated that the project aligns with policy efforts to increase Ghana’s industrial competitiveness and promote local production.
Calcined clay cement technologies have gained international attention in recent years because conventional cement manufacturing is responsible for a significant share of global industrial carbon emissions. Studies indicate that LC3 formulations can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 30 to 40 percent compared with traditional Portland cement by lowering clinker content and utilising more widely available raw materials such as clay (Scrivener et al., 2018; Kanagaraj et al., 2024; Renuka et al., 2025). The approach also has potential economic advantages in emerging markets where suitable clay deposits are abundant (Joseph et al., 2016).
Industry analysts note that many African economies remain heavily dependent on imported clinker, the energy intensive component used in traditional cement manufacturing. By using calcined clay and limestone as partial substitutes, plants such as the Tema facility may reduce reliance on imports while expanding domestic production capacity.
The government has also linked the project to its proposed 24 Hour Economy initiative, which seeks to encourage continuous industrial production in order to increase output and employment. Officials have indicated that the plant will operate continuously and create jobs across multiple segments of the construction materials value chain, including raw material extraction, processing, logistics and export distribution.
Beyond national considerations, the development has been presented as part of Ghana’s participation in continental economic integration. The country hosts the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and policymakers have frequently highlighted manufacturing expansion as a prerequisite for meaningful intra African trade. Infrastructure materials such as cement are expected to play a central role in supporting construction, urbanisation and transport projects across the continent.
Researchers studying the LC3 approach emphasise that its relevance is particularly significant for rapidly urbanising regions, including Africa, where demand for construction materials is projected to grow substantially in the coming decades (DÃaz et al., 2017; Pillai et al., 2019). In this context, the adoption of lower carbon cement technologies has been framed by some scholars as a potential pathway to balancing infrastructure development with environmental sustainability.
The commissioning of the Tema facility therefore illustrates broader shifts underway in both industrial policy and materials science. For Ghana, the project signals an attempt to align manufacturing expansion with climate conscious production methods. For the wider continent, it reflects increasing interest in technologies that support locally grounded industrial growth while responding to global pressures to decarbonise heavy industry.
