With an ambitious program focused on fertilizer shipments that may generate up to $7 million per day, Aliko Dangote, the president and richest man in Africa and the head of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has unveiled plans to increase Nigeria’s export capacity.
Speaking at a visit to the Lagos headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dangote described his export strategy as an unprecedented business endeavor for Nigeria.
He stated, “We will be exporting roughly 16,000 tons of fertilizer over the next two years.” That translates to a daily revenue inflow of roughly $6.5 million to $7 million for the nation. Nearly eight cargoes of fertilizer will be exported by us.
With a 3 million metric ton annual production capacity, the Dangote Fertilizer factory is Africa’s largest granulated urea producing complex. This facility has been essential in supporting Nigeria’s agricultural sector and reducing reliance on imported inputs.
The vision of the business entrepreneur goes much beyond the shipping of fertilizer. Speaking to NPA director Abubakar Dantsoho on Sunday, he presented detailed plans to increase exports of a variety of products, such as cement, coal, polypropylene, and various petroleum derivatives.
Our export business will shortly be greatly expanded. If any of you have visited our cement facility in Itori, you may already be aware that we export cement from Nigeria. “We have a six million-ton cement export factory,” he stated, adding that his company will start exporting coal in a few weeks.
The enormous $20 billion petroleum refinery is already in operation and will soon start exporting over 25 million tons of various goods. Among other things, these shipments will include up to 700,000 metric tons of polypropylene.
Dangote described the massive maritime operations that were planned for the Lekki area. An estimated 240 crude oil ships will be involved in the anticipated activities annually, with each vessel carrying one million barrels of crude oil. The activities will also need a large number of ships for transporting fertilizer and more than 600 product transporters.
He declared, “This is an operation that has never, ever been witnessed in the nation.” However, if NPA fails to provide us with the services we require, our operations will collapse.
The businessman emphasized how important it is for the ports authority’s expansion plans to have stronger government support for successful execution. He emphasized that more maritime resources and equipment were required.
“The [NPA] will not be able to perform these tasks using their own hands. They require supplies. “They require additional tugboats,” he said.
Dangote is dedicated to promoting institutional support in order to guarantee that the authority obtains sufficient federal backing.
“In order to ensure that NPA receives all the required support from the Federal Government, we will also be contributing a few words in the appropriate quarters,” he continued.
Given their significance for the growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy sectors, NPA Director Dantsoho reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to meeting Dangote Group’s growing maritime needs.
Port operations have already exceeded Dangote’s initial projections of 600 vessels per year. Over 57 boats have been processed and handled each month since October 1, 2024, surpassing initial projections.
That exceeds what was anticipated. According to Dantsoho, Nigerian ports’ operations will undoubtedly quadruple over the next year or two.
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The third quarter will see the start of infrastructure upgrades at the Tin-Can and Apapa port facilities, while additional deep-water port developments in the Ibom, Bakassi, Olokola, Ondo, and Badagry locations have received authorization.
The administration is worried about these new ports. We will soon start to witness that these ports will come to pass,” he stated.
With this extensive export growth, Nigeria’s trade profile is undergoing a radical change that might establish the nation as a significant exporter in a number of industrial sectors. The combination of petroleum products, cement, fertilizer, and other commodities could greatly increase foreign exchange profits and fortify Nigeria’s place in international markets.
The expansion of government and private sector infrastructure, especially in the areas of port infrastructure and maritime support services, will be crucial to the success of these programs.
