Dangote fertiliser partners with Thyssenkrupp to boost urea output

NIGERIA – Dangote Fertiliser Limited has signed a new partnership with Thyssenkrupp Uhde, a subsidiary of the German engineering group Thyssenkrupp AG, to increase its urea production capacity.

The agreement, announced on November 11, marks another major move in Africa’s growing fertiliser sector as the continent seeks to cut its dependence on imports.

Four new production units at Lekki

The Nigerian industrial giant will build four new granulation units near its existing nitrogen fertiliser complex in Lekki. Each unit will have a daily capacity of 4,235 tonnes of urea and will use Thyssenkrupp’s “Fluid Bed Granulation” technology. This method, already applied in more than 70 percent of global urea production according to Reuters, allows for higher efficiency and lower emissions.

Once the new units are complete, Dangote Fertiliser’s total installed capacity will rise from 3 million tonnes to over 8 million tonnes per year. This scale could move the company ahead of Qatar Fertiliser Company (QAFCO), which produces 5.6 million tonnes annually, making Dangote Fertiliser the largest urea producer in the world.

Expanding Nigeria’s industrial footprint

The new capacity will open up stronger export opportunities across Africa, South America, and Asia. The expansion aligns with the company’s broader growth strategy to turn Nigeria into a major global supplier of fertiliser.

Aliko Dangote, the group’s founder, reaffirmed his commitment to transforming Africa’s fertiliser sector. “In the next 40 months, Africa will not import fertiliser from anywhere. We are on a very ambitious path. We want to make Dangote the number one urea producer, ahead of Qatar – give me 40 months,” he said in June during the 32nd Annual General Meetings of Afreximbank in Abuja.

Industry experts say this partnership reflects growing confidence in Nigeria’s industrial capabilities. The fertiliser sector has seen consistent private investment aimed at boosting local supply and reducing the continent’s trade deficit in agricultural inputs.

Expansion beyond Nigeria

Beyond its Nigerian base, the Dangote Group has also moved into regional manufacturing. In August, the company signed an agreement with Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) to build a fertiliser plant in Gode, southeastern Ethiopia. The $2.5 billion project will produce 3 million tonnes of urea annually once completed.

This expansion underlines Dangote’s goal of strengthening Africa’s role in global fertiliser supply chains. With more local production coming online, industry observers expect the continent to rely less on imported fertiliser and achieve greater agricultural stability.

As the Lekki expansion moves forward, Nigeria could soon stand at the forefront of global urea production, signalling a major step toward industrial self-reliance and regional export growth.

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