Africa Finance Corporation is supporting a US$7 billion fertiliser expansion programme by Dangote Group aimed at strengthening Africa’s food security and agricultural productivity. The programme will expand fertiliser production in Nigeria and establish a major new manufacturing platform in Ethiopia, helping reduce Africa’s dependence on imported agricultural inputs.
As part of the investment, AFC is providing a US$600 million facility to Greenview Fertiliser Corp., Dangote Group’s fertiliser holding company. This financing builds on AFC’s long-standing partnership with Dangote Group, including previous support for the Dangote Refinery and other major industrial projects across Africa.
The expansion programme is expected to increase urea fertiliser production capacity in Nigeria from 3 million metric tonnes per annum to 9 million metric tonnes per annum. It will also support the development of a new 3 million metric tonnes per annum urea fertiliser plant in Ethiopia, creating a broader regional platform for fertiliser production and supply.
The investment comes at a time when Africa faces rising food demand, population growth, climate pressures, and vulnerability to global supply chain disruptions. Although the continent has large natural gas reserves and significant uncultivated arable land, it remains heavily dependent on imported fertiliser. Expanding local fertiliser production is therefore seen as critical to improving food security and building agricultural resilience.
Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, said the investment marks another milestone in the company’s partnership with AFC. He noted that expanding fertiliser production in Nigeria and developing a new plant in Ethiopia will support agricultural productivity, deepen Africa’s industrial base, and strengthen the continent’s ability to build globally competitive industrial platforms.
AFC President and CEO Samaila Zubairu said the investment addresses one of Africa’s most urgent long-term questions: how the continent will feed a population expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050. He highlighted that Africa’s current urea consumption remains far below levels seen in countries such as India and China, despite similar population scales, making fertiliser access central to closing the agricultural productivity gap.
The financing also reflects AFC’s broader strategy of investing in infrastructure and industrial systems that support long-term economic growth. Its portfolio includes projects in energy, transport, logistics, industrial processing, food security, ports, power generation, and strategic trade corridors.
The Dangote fertiliser expansion is expected to strengthen Africa’s ability to produce, process, and distribute critical agricultural inputs domestically while also expanding export potential. By supporting large-scale fertiliser production, the project aims to create jobs, improve food systems, reduce import dependence, and enhance Africa’s economic sovereignty.
