Cement prices in Ghana are set for a hike in the coming days over the long delays at the ports, which are affecting the unloading of a key material called clinker. The clinker is a major ingredient needed to make cement.

Given the growing tendency of the looming price increase, the Trade and Transport Ministers on February 23 held a crunch emergency meeting with cement companies and otherstakeholders in the country to find solutions to the delay, which has caused the clinker to be stuck at the port for almost a month now, slowing down cement production.

Industry players expressed concern over the long delays for vessels, which push operational costs, which are likely to be passed on to consumers.

Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Cement Manufacturers, Ghana (COCMAG), Bishop DrGeorge Dawson-Ahmoah described the situation as dire, warning that the industry is “leaking” financially due to escalating demurrage charges.

In response to their concerns, authorities acknowledged the ongoing dredging works at the port, suggesting temporary measures to avert the financial burden the said increase will have on ordinary Ghanaians. Among some of the measures are the temporary access to additional berths and the handling of non-dust-producing materials such as gypsum and slag at alternative berths to ease congestion.

Mr Nikpe assured industry players that dredging works are being fast-tracked and are expected to be completed by the end of June.

Once completed, the port will accommodate vessels of over 20,000 tonnes, compared to the current 8,000-tonne capacity, reducing turnaround times.

Until then, stakeholders warn that persistent congestion and rising demurrage costs could trigger cement price increases, with consumers likely to bear the impact.

Meanwhile, in May 2025, Ghana experienced its last cement price hike before the February 2026 proposed increase. At that time, manufacturers raised prices because of several economic pressures.

The first major factor was the rising cost of clinker imports, which is the essential raw material used in cement production. Since Ghana relies heavily on imported clinker, global price increases directly affected local production costs.

Secondly, transportation and energy costs had gone up significantly. Moving clinker from ports to factories and powering production facilities became more expensive, which added to the overall burden on manufacturers.

Finally, the persistent exchange rate depreciation made imports more costly. As the Ghanaian cedi weakened against major currencies, the price of clinker and other imported inputs rose further, forcing cement producers to adjust their prices upward.

Also, some months before the May increment, cement prices in Ghana were announced to go up significantly, with retailers planning to increase the cost by around GHC 9 per bag starting Thursday, February 27. Some retailers had already begun charging the new prices.

Samuel Azu, a cement retailer, confirmed the price adjustment. “We had not yet increased the price, but it was to take effect starting Thursday. From then on, any customer purchasing a bag of cement would need to pay GHC 120.00.

“This price hike was essential because, without it, we would not be able to restock. If you did not have that amount, you would not be able to buy cement in Tema or anywhere else in the country. The factories had explained that the government had raised port tariffs,” Azu said.

Azu further elaborated on the dependency on imported materials, stating, “Since most materials used in cement production are imported, any increase in costs from the source directly impacted the final price.”