Dangote to Double Fertiliser Production in $2.5B Lagos Plant Expansion to Make Africa Fertiliser Self-Sufficient by 2028

The Dangote Group is set to significantly expand its $2.5 billion granulated urea fertiliser plant located in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, Lagos, Nigeria, in a strategic move aimed at making Africa self-sufficient in fertiliser production within the next 40 months. Speaking at the 2025 Afreximbank Annual Meetings in Abuja, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, announced that the expansion would eliminate the continent’s dependence on over 6 million metric tons of imported fertiliser annually, drastically cutting foreign exchange expenditure and boosting food security.

With a current production capacity of 3 million metric tons per year 37% of which is exported to countries like the United States Dangote’s ambition is to more than double the plant’s output, surpassing even global fertiliser giants like Qatar. He stressed that by 2028, Africa will no longer need to import fertiliser, saying, “Give me 40 months. We want Dangote to be the highest producer of urea in the world.”

The expansion is expected to improve agricultural productivity across Africa, where poor soil conditions and climate challenges have often hindered food production. Economically, the increase in domestic fertiliser supply will help Nigeria and other African nations conserve foreign reserves and reduce reliance on volatile international markets, especially important as local currencies, including the naira, continue to face devaluation pressures.

Dangote also confirmed plans to list the fertiliser company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange later this year, in a move that could attract local and international investors. This follows similar plans to list his 650,000 barrels-per-day Dangote Petroleum Refinery Africa’s largest on the market in 2026.

Despite analyst concerns about risks like cost overruns, port infrastructure bottlenecks, and transportation delays in Nigeria, Dangote’s track record of delivering mega-projects remains reassuring to investors. His integrated approach to industrial development positions the Dangote Group as a central force in Africa’s economic transformation.

With global fertiliser demand rising and a bullish market outlook, this expansion not only promises a more food-secure Africa but also solidifies Nigeria’s place as a leader in agro-industrial manufacturing.