Lafarge Africa Hits N5.6trn as Profit Surges by 101%
Cement company Lafarge Africa Plc’s post-earnings stock market valuation surged about 19% to N5.64 trillion, according to data obtained from the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
Trading data from the local bourse showed Lafarge Africa hit a 52-week high last week, closing at N350, a wide gap from its low of N77.95 in the same period.
A wide gap between a stock’s 52-week high and low indicates high price volatility, suggesting the stock has experienced significant price swings over the past year.
A slew of equity analysts also anticipates further market repricing on the back of strong earnings, a catalyst expected to boost investor optimism.
MarketForces Africa reported that the market value of Lafarge Africa’s 16.107 billion outstanding shares increased by about 19% last week to N5.637 trillion, its all-time high at the close of trading.
Lafarge Africa Plc delivered a strong financial performance in Q1 2026, with gross earnings increasing by 34.84% year-on-year to ₦334.88 billion from ₦248.35 billion in Q1 2025.
The cement company’s revenue growth was primarily driven by volume expansion, improved plant stability, enhanced distribution efficiency, and higher sales.
Analysts said the performance was further supported by its strategic partnership with Huaxin Building Materials Limited, which helped optimise operations.
Riding on strong revenue growth, gross profit rose 67.10% to ₦205.49 billion from ₦122.98 billion. This was underpinned by robust topline expansion, improved operational efficiency, and disciplined cost management.
At the bottom line, profitability strengthened considerably, as earnings before tax surged by 97.14% to ₦141.27 billion, largely driven by the growth in both gross earnings and gross profit.
Lafarge Africa’s profit after tax more than doubled, increasing by 101.37% to ₦97.95 billion from ₦48.64 billion in Q1 2025, reflecting stronger earnings conversion.
