Lafarge Africa Plc (NGX: WAPCO) has announced the official change of its corporate name to HBM Nigeria Plc.
In a formal notification released on NGX, the company informed the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), shareholders, stakeholders, and the investing public of the completed transition.
The name change reflects the company’s evolved business vision and renewed commitment to delivering long-term value.
The rebranding process followed due corporate governance procedures:
— Shareholder Approval: The name change was fully approved by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on 30 April 2026.
— Regulatory Registration: The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has officially approved the change and issued a new Certificate of Incorporation.
— Shareholder Impact: Existing share certificates and electronic holdings remain valid. Updates will be handled automatically by the company’s Registrars.
The rebrand directly mirrors a change in ownership. HBM — short for Huaxin Building Materials — acquired a controlling 83.81 per cent stake in Lafarge Africa from Swiss group Holcim for approximately one billion dollars in late 2025, marking Holcim’s full exit from Nigeria.
The name change is the company’s fourth, having begun as West Africa Portland Cement Company (WAPCO) before successive rebrands led to the now-retired Lafarge Africa identity.
Group Managing Director and CEO Lolu Alade-Akinyemi assured stakeholders that operations, workforce, and customer relationships remain unaffected.
In his words he said, “While our corporate identity is evolving, our commitment to Nigeria remains unwavering,”.
The transition comes on the back of a record 2025 revenue that crossed one trillion naira for the first time, net profit nearly tripled to 273 billion naira, and the company’s share price surged from 58 naira to around 226 naira following the acquisition announcement.
HBM Nigeria Plc, headquartered in Ikoyi, Lagos, now competes as one of Nigeria’s top three cement producers.
Administrator and Writer
