This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
Kenya's cement consumption took a hit in April, dropping by 8.3 percent due to the Covid-19 containment measures announced by the government in late March.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the country consumed 505,958 tonnes of cement in April, down from 551,914 tonnes in March.
The decline in cement consumption was a result of the government-imposed restrictions in the country, which were put in place after the first Covid-19 cases were announced in Kenya.
Despite the decline, the industry remains optimistic about a bullish market in the coming months, with Savannah Cement chief executive Ronald Ndegwa citing a slight recovery of up to 10 percent in sales following the lifting of the cessation of movement order.
Mr Ndegwa attributed the recovery hopes to upcoming infrastructure projects such as the Nairobi Expressway, but concerns remain about the country's production being well below its installed capacity.
The country's total capacity stands at above 13.2 million metric tonnes, while overall cement production hit a five-year low of 5.88 million tonnes in 2019.
