Business
Dangote on course to building Africa’s biggest fertilizer plant
Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Nigeria’s Dangote Group speaks during the final session of the World Economic Forum on Africa meeting in Cape Town June 6, 2008. PHOTO/Mike Hutchings/REUTERS
In another move to create more employment and facilitate the growth of the Nigerian economy, Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, announced Monday plans to build a 300 billion naira (US$1.9 billion) fertilizer plant in Edo State, Nigeria.
The fertilizer plant which will have a production capacity of 2,200 metric tons per day of Ammonia and 7,700 metric tons per day of granulated Urea, will be the largest fertilizer plant in Africa.
According to reports, the largest existing fertilizer plant in Africa has an installed capacity of 1,000 metric tons per day of Ammonia and 1,500 of metric tons per day of Urea.
“Yes, we will build the biggest fertilizer plant in Africa here in Edo State,” Dangote said at the reception in Benin, the capital of the state, to mark the 2nd term inauguration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.
Dangote indicated that the project is planned to commence in December 2012 or January 2013, although Saipem Nigeria, the engineering company signed last year to launch construction of the plant, had slated early 2012 for the commencement and 2014 for the completion.
However, Dangote disclosed that the plant will be completed in three years.
“I am reassuring you… that in the next three years, Edo State will be exporting fertilizer to other parts of Africa.”
