Wednesday, March 3, 2010.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon de Ryhove.

Making headlines today:

Nigeria's Dangote Cement has signed a 95-million-dollar deal with a unit of Germany's Siemens AG for three gas turbines. Dangote Cement hopes that this will help it increase its annual cement production to 20-million tons.

Dangote Cement, Nigeria's largest cement producer, says that Siemens International Turbomachinery will provide the turbines for its five-million ton a year Ibese cement plant, in Ogun state, which is currently under construction.

The three gas turbines are expected to generate 102 MW of electricity for the cement plant. Construction of the plant, which began in late 2009, is expected to be completed by January 2011.

The Airports Company South Africa's operational plans for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are now 90% completed. The majority of the remaining work will be completed this month and some in April.

OR Tambo International Airport GM Chris Hlekane says that all operational plans will be finalised by May 14 and that simulation exercises of all operational aspects will be carried out every two weeks from the end of March until mid-May.

Acsa, which has invested about 17-billion-dollars on upgrading its airport network, in part for the sporting event, but also to keep up with growing demand, expected some 450 000 passengers to travel through the country's airport's during the six-week tournament, which starts on June 11.

Also making headlines:

AltX-listed Africa Cellular Towers secures its first full turnkey power line contract from Eskom.
South Africa's President Jacob Zuma urges the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe if progress is to be made in resolving that country's political crisis.
Stringent conditions are imposed on South Africa's bail-out beneficiaries.
And, Tanzania says it's aiming at 5,7% growth in 2010.

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories please visit engineeringnews.co.za.