In a landmark move reshaping Africa’s agricultural industry, Dangote Group has unveiled a sweeping expansion plan that will see its urea fertiliser production soar from 3 million to 9 million metric tonnes annually in Nigeria, while simultaneously launching a brand new fertiliser complex in Ethiopia. The scale and ambition behind this development mark it as the most significant single investment in Africa’s fertiliser sector to date.
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Strategic Partnerships Drive the Growth
To achieve this massive expansion, Dangote Group has entered into binding agreements with four of the world’s leading engineering and fertiliser-technology firms: Topsoe (Denmark), Saipem (Italy), thyssenkrupp Uhde Fertiliser Technology (Germany), and Engineers India Limited (India).
- Topsoe will provide ammonia-technology licensing and full process-design packages for six ammonia plants — four based in Nigeria and two in Ethiopia.
- Saipem is tasked with urea synthesis and melt-technology licensing, along with complete design packages for all six urea units.
- thyssenkrupp Uhde will deliver urea granulation technology licensing and full granulation design packages across the six plants.
- Engineers India Limited has been appointed as the project management consultant (PMC) and EPCM consultant for the four new production trains at Dangote’s Nigerian facility in Lekki Free Zone.
According to Dangote’s leadership, this “bringing together of global expertise” is intended to ensure efficient, environmentally responsible fertiliser plants capable of serving farmers across Africa for decades.
What the Expansion Means for Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Africa
The implications of this deal are vast and potentially transformative — not just for Dangote Group, but for agriculture, food security, and industrial development across the continent.
Nigeria: From 3 Million to 9 Million Tonnes
Dangote’s existing fertiliser facility in Lekki, Lagos, already Africa’s largest, currently operates two trains producing 3 million tonnes of urea annually. The new plan adds four more production trains, turning the plant into one of the world’s biggest single-site urea complexes.
Construction has already begun, with the first new units expected to come online within 36–48 months.
Ethiopia: A New Agricultural Hub in Gode
In a parallel move, Dangote has broken ground on a greenfield fertiliser plant in Gode, Ethiopia. This facility, designed to produce 3 million tonnes of urea annually, marks a major step in expanding the company’s footprint beyond Nigeria.
The move is expected to boost agricultural productivity, reduce dependence on imported fertilisers, and create jobs — advancing broader food-security and industrial development goals for both countries.
Jobs, Value Chains, Export Potential
Dangote projects that the expanded operations will generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs. It will also strengthen agricultural value chains and significantly reduce Africa’s reliance on imported fertilisers — potentially establishing the continent as a major fertiliser exporter.
This could have ripple effects across farming productivity, food prices, and even broader economies — particularly in agrarian economies struggling with fertiliser shortages.
Dangote’s Ambitious Vision for Industrialised Agriculture
For the leadership of Dangote Group, these deals aren’t just about scaling up production — they represent a firm commitment to reshaping how agriculture is supported in Africa. In their own statement, they framed the partnerships as a key milestone in their mission to transform African agriculture, deliver industrial capacity, and foster long-term prosperity.
The planned expansion in Nigeria and Ethiopia underscores a broader strategy: leveraging global technology, local resources, and industrial know-how to build fertiliser plants that operate to world-class standards. This strategy, if successful, could help address persistent challenges around fertiliser availability, price volatility, and import dependence that have long hampered agricultural productivity in many African countries.
It also speaks to the broader ambitions of Dangote Group as a pan-African industrial powerhouse, not only in fertilisers, but across manufacturing, petrochemicals, and infrastructure.
In a landscape where affordable fertilisers remain scarce and volatile global markets continue to strain Africa’s food systems, Dangote’s bold expansion plan offers a glimpse of a future rooted in local production, African innovation, and industrial self-reliance. The coming years will be critical as construction progresses and the continent watches to see whether this grand vision translates into tangible benefits on the ground for farmers, communities, and the economy as a whole.
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