Lafarge Africa rebrands to HBM Nigeria Plc after Chinese takeover

Lafarge Africa Plc has formally changed its name to HBM Nigeria Plc, completing a corporate rebranding that followed the $1 billion acquisition of the company by Chinese cement giant HBM. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) issued a fresh Certificate of Incorporation recognising the new name, giving the rebranding full legal effect.

Shareholders approve name change at AGM

The company announced the development through a post on X, writing: 'Welcome to HBM NIGERIA! Building the future.' A formal notification was simultaneously issued to the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), shareholders, and the broader investing public, confirming that all required regulatory approvals had been secured.

Shareholders had originally endorsed the change at the company's Annual General Meeting on April 30, 2026, when the board received authorisation to amend the company's constitutional documents and finalise all regulatory processes. Lafarge, one of the biggest cement companies in Nigeria on the NGX, is now trading under the name HBM.

Company assures investors on share validity

Company Secretary and Legal Director Adewunmi Alode signed the official statement, which read in part: 'This strategic name change is a pivotal step in our ongoing corporate rebranding exercise. It reflects our evolved business vision, long-term growth objectives, and our renewed commitment to delivering superior value to our stakeholders.'

HBM Nigeria assured investors that the rebranding carries no implications for their ownership positions. All existing share certificates and electronic holdings remain valid and will be updated automatically by the company's registrars, with no action required from shareholders. The company added that it would continue to uphold high standards of corporate governance and operational excellence under its new identity.

$1 billion deal transfers control to Chinese group

The name change is the final step in a broader ownership shift that dates to December 2024, when Swiss building materials company Holcim agreed to sell its nearly 84% stake in Lafarge Africa to HBM in a transaction valued at approximately $1 billion. The deal transferred control of one of Nigeria's largest cement producers to a Chinese group that has expanded aggressively across Africa since the early 2020s.

The formal adoption of the HBM name now brings the Nigerian subsidiary into direct alignment with its parent company, marking the start of a new chapter for a business that has operated under the Lafarge brand in Nigeria for decades.

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that FBN Holdings Plc has been renamed First HoldCo Plc (FirstHoldCo) as part of plans to create a uniform identity across all its subsidiaries.

For Nigerian businesses and consumers, the rebranding signals deeper Chinese investment in the local cement market, adding a powerful new rival to Dangote Cement and BUA Cement. The change is unlikely to affect cement prices in the short term, but increased competition could influence pricing dynamics over time.