BY CHINYERE OBIORA, LAGOS – DataPro, the technology-driven Credit Rating Agency (CRA), has upgraded Dangote Cement Plc’s long-term rating to AA+ from AA, while also affirming the company’s short-term rating of A1.
Valid until June 16, 2027, the rating carries a stable outlook and the upgraded long-term rating highlights Dangote Cement’s exceptional financial health and market dominance.
Importantly, this positive revision is directly tied to the company’s sustained financial strength and resilient operational performance across Nigeria and the broader African continent, even as the affirmed short-term A1 rating underscores the construction giant’s continued ability to manage its financial commitments effectively, amid challenging macroeconomic conditions.
According to DataPro, the assessment was based on a comprehensive review of the Company’s capitalization, earnings profile, liquidity, corporate governance, regulatory compliance and the sustainability of its financial performance over the medium to long term, adding that the rating is underpinned by the Company’s strong brand presence, dominant market share, healthy earnings profile, robust asset base and experienced management team.
It further explained that in navigating a turbulent macro-economic and industry landscape, Dangote Cement leveraged its core operational strengths to maintain an unassailable liquidity position and timely debt-servicing capabilities.
This is as the company’s 2025 financial review also highlights an exceptional era of growth, headlined by a commanding N4.31 trillion in revenue, representing a 20 per cent annual increase, just as this top-line momentum catalyzed a staggering 109 per cent leap in Profit Before Tax (PBT), which culminated at N1.53 trillion.
The review indicated that far from being accidental, this robust earnings profile reflects a synchronized strategy, maximizing market demand, tightening operational execution, shrinking financing expenses, and engineering a lean, resilient balance sheet, and a stronger capital structure.
The AA+ long-term rating points to a notably lower risk profile, reflecting a business with outstanding financial strength, robust operating performance, and an exceptional corporate standing when measured against DataPro’s strict rating benchmarks. Complementing this, the A1 short-term rating confirms a solid credit quality, assuring stakeholders of the organization’s reliable and satisfactory capacity to fulfill its financial obligations promptly.
Also, aligning with global financial practices, DataPro said this credit evaluation carries a maximum shelf life of 12 calendar months before requiring a review, stressing that this assessment is strictly for reference purposes, and not a solicitation or offer to trade in securities, nor does it replace the need for independent, professional investment judgment.
