The Africa building materials market size is projected to reach US$ 5.09 billion by 2031 from US$ 3.72 billion in 2024. The market is expected to register a CAGR of 4.8% during 2025–2031. The growing demand for green buildings is likely to bring new trends in the Africa building materials market in the coming years.

Africa Building Materials Market Analysis

The growth of the construction industry due to urbanization in developing countries is fueling the demand for fiber cement boards, plasterboards, insulation materials, and other essential products. As developing economies in Africa experience rapid urbanization, population growth, and infrastructure expansion, the need for durable and cost-effective building materials continues to rise. Building materials can enhance the performance, functionality, chemical resistance, and durability of construction materials. Many countries in Africa are witnessing a mass migration from rural to urban areas, leading to an increased demand for affordable housing, office spaces, and public infrastructure. Thus, the strong growth of the construction industry in Africa fuels the market growth.

Africa Building Materials Market Overview

The Africa building materials market is driven by the significantly growing residential, commercial, institutional, industrial, and infrastructure construction activities. The governments of countries in Africa primarily focus on infrastructural development, driving infrastructure construction activities in the region. In October 2023, China Rail Construction Corporation and China International Trust and Investment Corporation constructed a highway in Algeria to connect 17 provinces. The total length of the highway is 1020 km. Cement and concrete are widely used in the construction of highways due to their affordability, flexibility, and ease of repair. Thus, infrastructure developments drive the demand for building materials in the Africa market.

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Africa Building Materials Market: Strategic Insights

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Africa Building Materials Market Drivers and Opportunities

Rising Adoption of Fiber Cement Boards

The Africa building materials market is witnessing significant growth, with fiber cement boards emerging as a preferred construction material due to their durability, fire resistance, moisture resistance, and cost-effectiveness. The increasing adoption of fiber cement wall boards, ceiling boards, floor underlayments, and façade boards is shaping the industry, particularly in residential, commercial, and industrial construction. The superior properties of fiber cement boards compared to traditional materials such as plywood and concrete blocks are key drivers of market expansion. Architects and customers have extensively acknowledged and appreciated fiber cement board's extensive list of advantages, with many opting for fiber cement board solutions. Durability is one of the most desirable qualities of these boards. Fiber cement siding typically outlasts vinyl siding in lifespan. Within 10–15 years, vinyl siding can show signs of aging; however, fiber cement siding can last up to 30–50 years or more. Further, in cement production, the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide is a byproduct; however, manufacturing vinyl siding, which contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC), produces twice as much carbon dioxide. Moreover, vinyl siding off-gases throughout its lifetime and continues to do so as it occupies a space landfill. Thus, fiber cement siding is a greener alternative to vinyl siding.

Government Support to Develop Residential Construction Sector

The Africa building materials market is experiencing significant growth, driven by a large part of government support for residential construction projects. Many nations in Africa are facing a housing deficit due to rapid population growth, urbanization, and increasing demand for affordable housing. In response, governments are implementing policies, subsidies, and infrastructure investments to boost the residential construction sector, directly increasing the demand for fiber cement boards, plasterboards, insulation materials, and other essential building materials. In June 2023, Côte d'Ivoire announced a plan to expand affordable housing through the International Finance Corporation (IFC)-Structured Public-Private Partnership. In March 2025, IFC granted a US$ 27 million loan to Addoha for 5,600 affordable homes in Côte d'Ivoire, supporting the government's social housing program through 2030. Despite regulatory pressures on single-use plastics, EPS remains a cost-effective and high-performance solution for cold chain logistics and is expected to present a key growth opportunity in the region during the forecast period. As governments intensify their efforts to bridge the housing gap, the building materials industry in Africa is expected to create lucrative opportunities for the Africa building materials market during the forecast period.

Africa Building Materials Market Report Segmentation Analysis

Key segments that contributed to the derivation of the Africa building materials market analysis are material and end use.

• Based on material, the market is segmented into fiber cement building boards, corrugated sheets, plaster of Paris, plasterboards, and insulation materials. The insulation materials segment held the largest share of the market in 2024.
• In terms of end use, the market is segmented into residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, and infrastructure. The residential segment held the largest share of the market in 2024.

Africa Building Materials Market Share Analysis by Geography

The geographic scope of the Africa building materials market report is mainly divided into South Africa, Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Egypt, Senegal, and the Rest of Africa.

In terms of revenue, Nigeria dominated the Africa building materials market in 2024. The demand for building materials in Nigeria is witnessing rapid growth due to the growing number of construction projects in the country. For instance, in March 2025, Dangote Industries Limited announced the construction of the largest seaport in Nigeria. The new port will be located at the Olokola Free Trade Zone, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The company has a 12 million tons per annum cement plant capacity, which it would combine to make Ogun the highest cement-producing state in Nigeria, with a combined output of 18 million tons per annum.

Africa Building Materials Market Report Scope

Africa Building Materials Market News and Recent Developments

The Africa building materials market is evaluated by gathering qualitative and quantitative data post primary and secondary research, which includes important corporate publications, association data, and databases. A few of the developments in the Africa building materials market are listed below:

• Knauf Group and Texnopark have announced a joint agreement for Knauf to acquire Texnopark’s Rock Mineral Wool insulation business. The acquisition includes a new plant in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, equipped with advanced electric melting technology, which enables low CO2 emissions in production. (Source: Knauf Insulation, Company News, October 2024)
• Compagnie de Saint Gobain SA India planned to double its production capacities of glass and stone wool insulation as part of a new investment phase, targeting revenues of US$ 4.3 billion across its businesses by 2032. (Source: Saint-Gobain, Press Release, June 2024)

Africa Building Materials Market Report Coverage and Deliverables

The "Africa Building Materials Market Size and Forecast (2021–2031)" report provides a detailed analysis of the market covering below areas:

• Africa building materials market size and forecast at regional and country levels for all the key market segments covered under the scope
• Africa building materials market trends, as well as market dynamics such as drivers, restraints, and key opportunities
• Detailed Porter’s Five Forces and SWOT analysis
• Africa building materials market analysis covering key market trends, regional framework, major players, regulations, and recent market developments
• Industry landscape and competition analysis covering market concentration, heat map analysis, prominent players, and recent developments for the Africa building materials market
• Detailed company profiles