GICA: From National Self-Sufficiency to African Expansion
✍️ BY: Dr. Hana Saada
Algiers – September 2025 – As Algeria accelerates its economic diversification away from hydrocarbons, the Groupe Industriel des Ciments d’Algérie (GICA) has emerged as a strategic industrial champion, transforming cement – once a commodity for local consumption – into a pillar of export, regional cooperation, and industrial diplomacy.
With 14 cement plants spread across the national territory and an output certified to the NA442/2013 standard, GICA not only guarantees Algeria’s self-sufficiency in cement but also channels its surplus capacity towards foreign markets, positioning Algerian cement as a competitive and reliable product in Africa and beyond.
An industrial backbone of Algeria’s transformation
GICA’s range of products – from GICA Benian for masonry works, GICA Béton for reinforced concrete, GICA Indjazat for high-resistance projects, GICA Moudhad for harsh environments, to GICA Petroleum for oil and gas drilling – reflects both technical sophistication and market adaptability. With multiple packaging formats, including bags, big bags, and bulk, GICA ensures flexibility for both local and international clients.
The group’s commercial arm, SO.DIS.MAC, with over 700 employees, 9 commercial units, and 21 depots across Algeria, is the logistical engine that has driven GICA into export markets since 2018. Beyond cement, it distributes construction materials such as plaster, steel, ceramics, and marble, cementing its role as a comprehensive supplier to the building sector.
Exports: a driver of Algeria’s economic diplomacy
In 2023, GICA exported 6.4 million tonnes of cement and clinker, generating nearly 24 billion dinars. By 2024, exports again surpassed 6 million tonnes, worth an estimated 18 billion dinars. Key destinations already include Europe (Italy, Spain, Poland, UK), Latin America (Brazil, Peru, Honduras, Colombia), and Africa (Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon, Gambia).
At the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF 2025), GICA showcased Algerian cement as a vehicle of integration and partnership. On this occasion, its subsidiary SO.DIS.MAC signed a landmark agreement with the Société Ciment du Nord de Mauritanie for the export of 360,000 tonnes of clinker, distributed between the plants of Nouadhibou and Nouakchott. This deal underscores Algeria’s commitment to consolidate economic ties with Africa and position itself as a key industrial supplier on the continent.
Africa: a natural horizon for expansion
The demand for construction materials in Africa is rising at unprecedented levels, driven by rapid urbanization and infrastructural development. For Algeria, this represents not only a commercial opportunity but also a political strategy – using cement as a tool of cooperation, training, technology transfer, and industrial partnership. GICA proposes to accompany African countries in industrial maintenance, productivity improvement, and compliance with international standards, extending its role beyond exporter to trusted partner.
The trajectory of GICA symbolizes Algeria’s broader transformation. By modernizing its production facilities, diversifying its portfolio, and consolidating export channels, the group has shifted from a domestic supplier to a continental player. Challenges remain – including environmental compliance, regional competition, and logistical constraints – yet GICA’s direction is unmistakable: cement is no longer just a building material, it is a diplomatic and economic instrument, binding Algeria’s future to that of Africa.
Translated from:
https://www.horizons.dz/?p=348992
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