Ebonyi Communities Raise Alarm Over New State-Owned Cement Project
Nigercem Plant Ebonyi State Nigeria
The landholding communities hosting the moribund Nigerian Cement Company (Nigercem Plc) in Ebonyi State have formally challenged the state government's plan to establish a new greenfield cement facility. In a petition addressed to Governor Francis Nwifuru on January 7, 2026, the communities comprising Nkalagu, Umuhuali, Amezu, and Nkalaha warned that the proposed project threatens ancestral land rights and seeks to circumvent existing legal protections for Nigercem's reactivation.
Allegations of Constitutional and Legal Breaches
Through their solicitors, Gamzaki Law Chambers, the host communities expressed concern over what they described as a calculated attempt by political actors to undermine court judgments delivered between 2010 and 2013. These rulings affirmed the rights of the Ibeto Group as the core investor and recognized the communities’ stakeholdership in the existing plant.
The petition highlights a significant shift in policy: during the 2023 campaign, the current administration pledged to collaborate with Ibeto Group to revive Nigercem. However, the Governor's 2026 "Budget of Actualisation" now includes a ₦150 billion borrowing plan to construct an entirely new state-owned cement factory, effectively bypassing the legacy plant.
The Mineral Resource Dispute
A critical point of contention is the geological viability of the new project's proposed location. The communities allege that the site chosen for the new state plant lacks commercially viable limestone deposits. They suggest that the government intends to excavate minerals from Nigercem’s existing concessions to feed the new facility.
Specific grievances outlined include:
The "Consent Letter" Controversy: On December 31, 2025, a meeting was allegedly held where individuals described by the communities as "unauthorised and self-appointed" issued a fresh consent letter purporting to revoke Ibeto Group’s prior agreements.
Lack of Transparency: While a 15-man reactivation committee was inaugurated in August 2025, no report or recommendations have been made public.
Environmental Degradation: Communities fear that without the integrated industrial development of Nigercem, their land will be reduced to a "limestone excavation zone" with no long-term economic benefits.
Demands for Executive Action
The communities have vowed to resist any arrangement that "sacrifices their future for political expediency." They are calling for:
Immediate Suspension: A halt to any administrative actions that could alter mineral rights or Nigercem's ownership structure.
Inclusive Dialogue: The convening of a town hall meeting involving traditional rulers, professionals, and youth leaders from the four host communities.
Fiscal Disclosure: A transparent presentation of the state’s technical and financial capacity to manage a ₦150 billion industrial loan.
Conclusion
The impasse in Ishielu Local Government Area represents a significant risk to Ebonyi's 2026 industrialization goals. For investors, the dispute underscores the legal complexity of "greenfield" projects in regions with existing mineral leases. As the state moves toward its May 2026 project commissioning cycle, resolving this host community conflict will be essential for ensuring the stability of the state's proposed ₦150 billion investment.
Efforts to reach the State Commissioner for Solid Minerals Development, Chidi Onyia, for a response were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
