In recognition of his growing contribution to Sierra Leone’s industrial and construction sectors, Chief Executive Officer of ROCKCEM Limited, Bilal Hijazi, has been featured in the October/November 2026 edition of Forbes Africa, dedicated to Sierra Leone under its Africa Undiscovered series.

The special publication examines Sierra Leone’s emerging investment opportunities, profiling business executives and entrepreneurs whose activities are helping to expand industrial capacity, stimulate economic growth and create employment.

Among those featured is Bilal Hijazi, whose leadership has positioned ROCKCEM as an expanding participant in Sierra Leone’s cement industry, with investments in distribution infrastructure, renewable energy and domestic processing.

The recognition comes as the company pursues an ambitious transformation from importing finished cement to establishing a locally integrated processing operation designed to strengthen the country's construction supply chain.

ROCKCEM began operations in Sierra Leone in 2021 with a single shipment of imported cement. Despite entering an unfamiliar industry, Bilal Hijazi identified opportunities within the construction materials market, particularly the need for dependable supplies and efficient distribution.

His entrepreneurial background was shaped by his family's involvement in manufacturing businesses, including carbonated beverages and packaging. Having been exposed to industrial operations from the age of seven, he developed practical knowledge of production management, business development and supply chain coordination.

Reflecting on his early experience, Bilal Hijazi acknowledged the difficulties of entering the construction industry without specialized knowledge.

“I had zero knowledge about construction and construction material,” he recalled.

Nevertheless, his determination to address existing market challenges gradually transformed the business into a growing enterprise with an established distribution network.

Five years after its establishment, ROCKCEM reports that its direct and indirect operations support more than 500 jobs, while approximately 50 trucks transport cement to wholesalers, retailers and construction businesses across Freetown and other parts of Sierra Leone.

Rather than depending entirely on external transportation providers, the company invested in its own logistics infrastructure to improve delivery schedules, strengthen customer confidence and maintain supplies in different markets.

However, the most significant development in ROCKCEM's expansion strategy is its planned vertical cement grinding mill in Freetown.

The facility, to be supplied by a German manufacturer, is designed to process approximately 100 metric tonnes of cement per hour, representing an important step towards increasing domestic industrial capacity.

“We are shifting from cement importation into local industrial processing through the installation of a vertical grinding mill,” Bilal Hijazi explained.

The project will also incorporate a two-megawatt solar power installation, which the company expects to supply between 70 and 80 percent of the electricity required for grinding operations.

According to Bilal Hijazi, integrating renewable energy into the facility is intended to reduce operational costs, improve energy reliability and support more sustainable industrial production.

The investment could have wider economic implications for Sierra Leone, where imported finished cement continues to play an important role in meeting construction demand.

By processing cement domestically, ROCKCEM hopes to reduce dependence on imported finished products while creating additional opportunities for employment, technical skills development and industrial investment.

However, the anticipated foreign exchange benefits will depend partly on the proportion of clinker and other production materials that must still be imported.

The company's expansion also comes amid Government efforts to regulate cement prices and encourage construction-sector development.

In April 2025, the Government introduced a cement price ceiling aimed at addressing affordability concerns. Bilal Hijazi described discussions between Government officials and industry operators as an important mechanism for examining challenges associated with fuel prices, transportation expenses and international market conditions.

He also identified Government land allocation initiatives as potential drivers of construction demand, explaining that increased access to land could encourage residential and commercial development.

Beyond infrastructure investment, employment generation remains central to ROCKCEM's future plans.

The company says it has submitted documentation relating to the recruitment of an additional 500 workers, potentially increasing its direct and indirect employment contribution to more than 1,000 jobs as expansion progresses.

For Bilal Hijazi, the company's experience demonstrates the opportunities available to entrepreneurs prepared to identify market shortages, invest strategically and build sustainable enterprises.

While the proposed grinding facility's success will depend on its completion, operational efficiency and market competitiveness, the investment represents a potentially important contribution to Sierra Leone's industrialization ambitions.

Through its Africa Undiscovered publication, Forbes Africa has brought international attention to ROCKCEM's development and Bilal Hijazi's entrepreneurial journey, highlighting how private-sector investment can contribute to domestic production, employment and economic diversification.

As ROCKCEM prepares for its next phase, Bilal Hijazi remains focused on completing the Freetown grinding mill and strengthening the company's position in Sierra Leone's construction industry, with the broader ambition of contributing to a more productive and industrially competitive national economy. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/archives/65870