President Muhammadu Buhari will today, Tuesday, inaugurate the newly completed Dangote Fertilizer Plant, located at Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State.
The World class fertilizer plant, was built at a cost of $2.5 billion, with capacity to produce three million metric tonnes of fertilizer annually.
The edifice is expected to boost Nigeria’s average fertilizer application, which currently stands at 20kg per hectare (ha).
With recommended average fertilizer usage of 100kg/ha, the country’s fertilizer application is only 20%, a situation that is blamed on the fact that over 80% of fertilizers consumed in Nigeria are imported, a gap the Dangote fertilizer plant is expected to bridge.
The plant which is located at the fast growing Economic Free Trade Zone, is acclaimed to be the largest of such projects in West Africa.
Already Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital is agog as the plant is set to begin operation and is expected help boosting the nation’s fertilizer needs, meeting local demand and boosting exports.
Following its completion, the plant is also expected to add well over $400 million in foreign exchange into the Nigerian economy from exportation of the products to other Africa countries.
President Buhari will also use the opportunity of his visit to Lagos to tour the Lekki Deep Sea port and the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical plant, both under construction and located within the free trade zone.
Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, in a remark ahead of the projects inauguration, applauded the efforts and commitments of the President towards making the nation self sufficient in food production
“ As you are aware, the President has been very passionate in his commitments to boosting Nigeria’s food sufficiency and taking millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
“ What the President is doing today, is advancing his commitments to enhancing Nigeria’s self sufficiency in food production, by putting in place everything necessary to boost agriculture, both to meet local needs and also to drive exports.
“ Agriculture contributes over 25% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and is also a major contributor to our foreign exchange earnings. So, famers are pleased with these measures because, the Dangote plant will not only make fertilizer available to farmers, but also at very cheap and affordable prices,” he said.
A visit to the plant shows frenzy activities, with the area wearing new looks, adorned with beautiful decorations, ahead of the President’s visit on Tuesday.
Nigeria also has a fertilizer production agreement with Morocco, as both countries signed a $1.3 billion agreement for a Basic Chemicals Plant that will be located in Nigeria, expected to produce Ammonia, Phosphoric Acid and Sulphuric Acid among others.
The plant will also produce Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilisers using Nigeria’s gas reserves.
These plants, according to Adesina, will “combine effectively with the existing 44 blending plants in the country to boost production of food, by further crashing the prices of fertilizer, ahead of the commencements of the farming season”
Confidence Okwuchi
