Nigerians are in for another trouble as the prices of Dangote Cement, Mangal and others have skyrocketed significantly in January 2026.
We reported that the price of cement went up to N10,500 per 50-kilogram bag, up from around N9,800 in December 2025. This means that the price of cement spiked by N1,000 or 7.1 percent per bag.
The adjusted price has been implemented in Abuja, Nassarawa, Niger, and other parts of the country depending on the location.
The latest price increase comes despite Nigeria being a repository of natural resources for cement production in Obajana, Kogi State, Okpella of Edo, and other places.
This development is also amid a promise by major stakeholders in the cement industry who had pledged to Nigerians that the price of the product would not exceed N7,000 per bag.
The price hike in cement would further raise house rent above the rooftop.
DAILY POST reports that the minimum house rent for self-contained homes went up more than 100 percent to N800,000 per annum from around N400,000, especially in urban areas like Abuja and Lagos state.
Worse, the Nigerian government has remained indifferent about the rising price of rent and cost of living.
In December 2025, the country’s inflation rate spiked to 15.15 percent, up from 14.45 percent.
Rising Cement Prices Threaten Property Development, Jobs — Ex-REDAN President
Speaking on the development, the former president of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Alhaji Aliyu Oroji Wamakko, said they are unhappy with the recent hike in cement price.
He expressed concern over the continued rise in cement prices, warning that the trend poses a serious threat to property development, housing costs, and employment in the country.
Wamakko said the increase would negatively affect real estate growth, noting that higher construction costs would inevitably push up rent for apartments.
According to him, many businesses in the construction value chain could be forced to shut down as they struggle to cope, leading to job losses.
He recalled that last year, major cement producers such as Dangote and BUA were invited by the Presidency after cement prices climbed to about N10,000 per bag, stressing that at the time, the companies reportedly pledged to reduce prices to around N7,000.
However, Wamakko said the reasons for the current hike remain unclear, adding that the government has yet to offer any explanation.
The former REDAN president also lamented the apparent inactivity of the Price Control Board, which he said should be monitoring and regulating such increases.
He stressed that the situation has become unpredictable, making it difficult to estimate how high cement prices could rise.
Wamakko attributed the surge in prices to several factors, including increased demand driven by massive road construction projects and the use of cement in place of other materials.
He also pointed to currency fluctuations and Nigeria’s reliance on imported chemicals and equipment needed for cement production.
He called for a comprehensive review of the cement production and pricing system to identify the root causes of the problem and develop lasting solutions.
“Well, to tell you the truth, we are not happy with this development because first, the implication is a rise in the price of property development in the country.
“Secondly, even the rent of apartments will go up, and it will also increase the loss of jobs by other people because this can call for other people to close their business because they cannot afford to go on with this. We are not even expecting the cement to stay within the 10,000 Naira only.
“If you remember last year, I think some of these cement production companies, like Bua and Dangote, were invited by the presidency when the cement jumped to that 10,000 Naira at that time, and they promised to bring it down to 7,000 Naira.
“So for now, we don’t know what happens or why the increase, and the government has kept quiet. Nobody said anything.
“We suggested at that time there should be a price control board, which is in existence; at least they should be doing their work; unfortunately, nobody said anything for now. But honestly, it’s amazing. We cannot even quantify where the cement price will be going up to.
“Probably because of the road construction, they are now using cement instead of water. That now brings the demand to be high in the market.
“Secondly, possibly because of the fluctuation of currency in the market, most of the needed equipment for the production of this cement include some chemical materials that are not produced here in Nigeria.
“It has to be outside the country. Together, we felt that there must be a complete checkup within the system to find out what the problem is and how we solve it,” Wamakko submitted.