A Chinese cement producer is poised to take full ownership of AfriSam, one of Southern Africa’s major suppliers of cement and construction materials, following a merger filing with the Competition and Consumer Authority (CCA).
The proposed deal would see West International New Building Materials Pte. Ltd — a Singapore-based firm ultimately owned by Hong Kong–listed West China Cement Limited (WCC) — acquire 100% of AfriSam Holdings, including its subsidiaries such as AfriSam Botswana.
WCC, a global cement manufacturer with operations in mainland China, Mozambique, the DRC, Ethiopia and Uzbekistan, has no physical footprint or direct cement supply in Botswana. The acquisition would give the company a significant new entry point into the Southern African market.
AfriSam, headquartered in South Africa, supplies cement, concrete and aggregate products across the region, operating in South Africa, Eswatini, Namibia and Lesotho. AfriSam Botswana currently imports 50kg cement bags from South Africa to supply the local construction industry.
The takeover bid lands at a sensitive time for the region’s construction sector, where cement supply, pricing pressures and competition remain central concerns amid ongoing government infrastructure investments. As a result, the proposed acquisition is expected to undergo stringent review.
The CCA confirmed it is assessing the merger to determine its impact on competition, pricing, market concentration and consumer welfare. The Authority has also called on the public and interested stakeholders to submit comments or information as part of the regulatory process.
According to Moneyweb, Africa’s largest asset manager, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), along with major South African lenders including Nedbank, Standard Bank, FirstRand and Absa, currently hold significant stakes in AfriSam after several restructuring deals. These institutions have reportedly been looking to reduce or exit their positions in the company.
The Authority’s final ruling will determine whether the merger is approved unconditionally, approved with conditions, or blocked entirely.
