Algeria’s Cement Group, known as GICA, wants to buy 450,000t of cement to reduce demand it faces in the domestic market, the El Moudjahid newspaper said.

The deadline for bids is 2 September the state-run newspaper said today, citing the company. The domestic cement shortage amounted to more than 2.5Mt, according to GICA’s estimates.

It produces more than 18Mt of cement and aims to raise this amount to 20Mt by 2016 and by 29Mt by 2018.