Nigeria begins urea fertiliser export to US, Brazil, others

With the coming on stream of the Dangote Fertiliser Plant in Lagos, Nigeria has commenced exportation of Urea-based fertiliser to the U.S, India, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

Devakumar Edwin, the Executive Director, Strategy Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Group disclosed this on Sunday when the minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed led a team journalists on a working tour of Dangote Fertiliser Plant in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports the minister and his team also took a tour of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals also located at the Free Trade Zone of Lagos State in Ibeju Lekki.

NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari on March 22 inaugurated the Dangote Fertiliser Plant which is Africa’s largest granulated Urea fertiliser complex to produce three million metric tonnes per annum in the first phase.

Speaking at a newly constructed jetty for the urea export, Edwin said the plant has the capacity to meet the 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum current level of fertiliser consumption of Nigeria and also export the product.

He said the Dangote Urea, made from natural gas is an export quality product with global standard, hence the demand for it in the global market.

Mr Edwin assured that the plant would continue to meet local demand of the product with affordable price in order to make Nigeria self-reliant in food production.

NAN reports that at the jetty, the team witnessed a ship being loaded with Urea for export to Argentina.

Speaking at the event, the minister corroborated Mr Edwin, saying that Nigeria is currently self-sufficient in the production of Urea and it is the leading producer of the fertiliser in Africa

“Before this administration came into office in 2015, Nigeria had a fertiliser shortfall of about 3.5 million tonnes per annum (over 6 million tonnes per annum are required in the country).

“Thanks to the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative launched by President Buhari, indigenous companies like Indorama and Notore – with a combined capacity of over 2.5 million tonnes per annum,” he said

Mr Mohammed noted that after visiting the facilities, one could conveniently conclude that Dangote was leading the country’s industrial revolution.

He said the coming into being of the massive industrial complexes as the Dangote Fertiliser Company and the Refinery were made possible by the enabling environment provided by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Today, new businesses are springing up in all sectors, thanks to a conducive business environment.

“Under this administration, the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has implemented over 150 reforms, moving Nigeria up 39 places on the World Bank Doing Business index since 2016.

“Mr President also signed the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 (CAMA 2020) – Nigeria’s most significant business legislation in three decades,” he said.

The minister added that the result of the favourable business environment was the birth of new businesses as the  Dangote Fertiliser Plant and the 650,000 barrels per day oil refinery.

NAN