The Dangote Fertiliser Plant in Lagos, Nigeria is a monumental achievement in the world of agricultural production. As the largest granular fertilizer plant in Africa, and the second largest granular urea fertilizer plant in the world, this prolific undertaking has pervaded international markets and restructured the agricultural landscape of the Nigerian economy.
Located on 500 hectares of land in Lagos State, the fertilizer plant produces 3 million metric tons per annum, for the purpose of helping Nigeria achieve agricultural self-sufficiency. Owned by a Nigerian-based conglomerate known as the Dangote Group, this impressive venture has employed 5,500 people in the area since its commissioning in 2016. It cost the Dangote Group approximately $2.5 billion to build and has since become an oasis for economic growth and development.
At the heart of this gigantic project is the idea of agricultural sustainability, a concept that the Dangote Group has managed to successfully ingrain into its activities. As one of the largest suppliers of granular fertilizer on the continent, it has been able to provide an extensive range of high-quality fertilizers to an ever-growing user base, thus improving yields and helping farmers increase their overall productivity. This, in turn, has enabled the government to secure greater revenue from agricultural exports.
The Dangote Fertiliser Plant also presents an opportunity for the government to successfully diversify its economy, something that it has been striving for since the economic recession of 2008. By investing in infrastructure, the government has been able to create a reliable and sustainable source of income that is not entirely dependent upon the oil and gas markets. This has been a major pillar of the government’s plan to combat poverty, as it has allowed rural communities to benefit from the plant’s presence, as well as from the added agricultural output.
