Fertiliser Plants: Dangote Vows To Ensure Food Security In Africa

President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has reiterated his commitment to strengthening food security across Africa through large-scale fertiliser investments, saying the continent has the capacity not only to feed itself but also to become a net exporter of agricultural produce.

Dangote made the remarks while speaking with journalists in Gode, located in Ethiopia’s Somali region, during a high-level visit hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The Prime Minister personally received Dangote and accompanied him to inspect the site of the proposed fertiliser plant, where construction is already ongoing.

He stressed that Africa’s persistent food insecurity is largely driven by inadequate access to fertiliser and modern agricultural inputs, rather than a lack of arable land or farming potential.

“Africa holds immense agricultural potential, yet continues to grapple with food insecurity due to limited access to fertilizer. Through our investments, we are committed to reversing this trend by boosting productivity, empowering farmers, and advancing a sustainable path to food self-sufficiency,” he said.

Dangote added that with sustained investment in fertiliser production and supporting infrastructure, the continent could achieve long-term agricultural independence.

“Africa has the capacity to feed itself and even export to the rest of the world. Our fertiliser investments across the continent are designed to unlock that potential and secure a prosperous future for our people,” he stated.

He also announced that Dangote Group has increased its total investment in Ethiopia from $2.5 billion to over $4 billion, describing the country as a strategic hub for the company’s continental expansion.

According to him, the expanded project scope includes a 110-kilometre pipeline, a 120MW power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant.

“In total, our declared and signed investments in Ethiopia now exceed $4 billion. This makes Ethiopia the second-largest recipient of our investments in Africa,” he said.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed praised the project, describing Dangote as a key development partner whose investment aligns with Ethiopia’s industrialisation and agricultural transformation agenda.

He said the fertiliser plant would boost local production, reduce import dependency, create jobs, and strengthen Ethiopia’s agricultural value chain.

Abiy further noted that the collaboration between government and private sector players like Dangote Group would accelerate economic growth and improve livelihoods across the country.

The fertiliser initiative is widely viewed as a major step toward transforming Africa’s agricultural productivity, reducing import reliance, and driving sustainable economic development.