Lafarge Africa, a prominent cement manufacturer, has officially rebranded as HBM Nigeria Plc. This strategic name change aligns with the company's long-term objectives and its commitment to better serve its stakeholders.
The name change received full shareholder approval during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on April 30, 2026. Subsequently, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) officially approved the change and issued the Certificate of Incorporation, as sighted on Tuesday, June 24, 2026.
This development follows the acquisition of Lafarge Africa by Chinese investors from the Swiss-based Holcim Group. The transaction, first disclosed in December 2024, saw Huaxin Cement, headquartered in Wuhan, China, acquire an 83.1 per cent stake in the company.
The acquisition, valued at $1 billion (approximately ₦1.6 trillion), was finalised in August 2025. This came after navigating regulatory hurdles, including a Senate directive in March 2025 that ordered the Bureau of Public Procurement to halt the transaction.
Senator Shuaib Salisu, representing Ogun Central, had raised concerns at the time, stating, “We cannot afford to wake up one day and realise that our cement industry, one of the backbones of our economy, is entirely in foreign hands.”
Under its new majority ownership, HBM Nigeria Plc has already announced its first major expansion project. This includes a planned capacity increase for the Ashaka Cement plant in Gombe to 2MT and the Shagamu plant to 3.5MT, initiatives announced earlier this year.
HBM Nigeria Plc has assured shareholders that their existing share certificates and electronic holdings remain valid. These will be automatically updated by the registrars to reflect the new company name.
