Dangote Cement Plc's shareholders have overwhelmingly approved a significant dividend of N30 per ordinary share for the financial year ended December 31, 2024. This approval, supported by 353 out of 360 shareholders, was granted at the company’s 16th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on June 23, 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria. During the AGM, key board directors, including Chairman Aliko Dangote, Ernest Ebi, Viswanathan Shankar, Cherie Blair, and Douraid Zaghouani, were reappointed following their retirement by rotation. Shareholders also sanctioned annual remunerations of N20 million for the Chairman and N15 million for each non-executive director for the year ending December 31, 2025.

Addressing the shareholders, Chairman Aliko Dangote underscored Nigeria’s burgeoning influence in the global cement market. He proudly declared that Nigeria has ascended to become the largest exporter of cement across Africa, marking a pivotal shift from being a major importer to now surpassing other African nations in export volumes. Looking ahead, Mr. Dangote articulated the company's strategic focus on optimizing operational efficiency, specifically targeting reductions in production and foreign exchange costs, while simultaneously aiming to expand market share and enhance export performance.

The approved N30 per share dividend for the 2024 financial year translates to a substantial total payout of N506.21 billion. This impressive payout yields 6.81% based on the current share price of N440, and corresponds to a high payout ratio of 100.59%, suggesting strong commitment to shareholder returns. Dangote Cement has demonstrated a remarkable trend of consistent dividend payments, exceeding N10 per share annually since 2018. The company steadily increased its payout to N16, maintaining it through 2022, before raising it to N20 and then N30 for the 2023 financial year. This upward trajectory continued into FY 2024, with the N30 dividend maintaining its benchmark. The dividend, subject to withholding tax, is scheduled for payment on Monday, June 23, 2025, to shareholders registered as of Monday, June 9, 2025.

Further solidifying its reputation for robust shareholder returns, Dangote Cement was recently honored as the "Dividend Paying Company of the Year" at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards. The ceremony, themed "Capital Market as a Catalyst for Nigerian Economic Transformation," took place on May 23, 2025, in Lagos. This prestigious award recognized Dangote Cement's exceptional track record of rewarding its shareholders with consistent and substantial dividends, distinguishing it from other nominees like Nigerian Aviation Company and Airtel Africa.

Dangote Cement Plc's unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025, reveal a robust performance across key metrics. The company reported a strong pre-tax profit of N311.974 billion, an impressive 87.48% increase from N166.404 billion in Q1 2024. This significant profitability was underpinned by substantial revenue gains, with total revenue reaching N994.6 billion, up from N817.3 billion in Q1 2024. Revenue from the Nigerian market alone surged to N696.042 billion, boosting its share of total group revenue from 55.41% in Q1 2024 to nearly 70% in Q1 2025.

Despite a slight rise in the cost of sales, increasing by 2.29% to N407.2 billion, the company effectively managed its expenses relative to its revenue growth. Fuel and power continued to be the most significant cost component, accounting for 43.5% of production costs (N177.193 billion), followed by raw materials consumed at 21.3%. Other contributors included salaries, depreciation, amortization, and plant maintenance. Crucially, the growth in cost of sales was slower than revenue growth, which significantly contributed to improved profitability. As a result, gross profit climbed to N587.3 billion, and the gross margin increased to 59%, a 15 percentage point rise compared to the previous year. Profit after tax soared by 85.71% to N209.2 billion.

On the balance sheet, Dangote Cement demonstrated continued strength, with total assets standing at N6.4 trillion. Retained earnings saw a substantial increase, rising to N1.2 trillion from N1.027 trillion a year earlier. The company confirmed that the N30 per share dividend will be paid directly from these retained earnings reported as of December 31, 2024. Furthermore, the company's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 12.22x is notably lower than the industry average of 41.81x, potentially indicating that the stock is undervalued, presenting an attractive investment prospect.