Dangote Group has announced major new partnerships with four global engineering firms: Saipem, Engineers India Limited (EIL), Topsoe and Thyssenkrupp UFT, to expand its fertiliser operations in Nigeria and to build fresh plants in Ethiopia.
According to the company, this collaboration will see Nigeria’s urea output surge from 3 million metric tons a year to 9 million metric tons annually. The current facility uses two production trains. With the expansion, four additional trains will be added, dramatically ramping up capacity to meet rising demand for quality fertiliser across Africa and beyond.
Beyond Nigeria, Dangote is pushing ahead with a new fertiliser complex in Gode, Ethiopia, a project costed at $2.5 billion which aims to produce 3 million metric tons of urea each year. This is part of the company’s broader continental push to deepen agriculture-based industrial capacity and strengthen food security.
To ensure top global standards, each of the partner firms will play distinct roles: Topsoe will deliver ammonia licensing and full process design for six ammonia plants (four in Nigeria, two in Ethiopia). Saipem will provide technology licensing and design for urea melt units across all six plants. Thyssenkrupp UFT will supply granulation technology for all plants to produce high-quality urea granules for both domestic and export markets. Meanwhile, Engineers India Ltd will serve as project management and EPCM (Engineering, Procurement & Construction Management) consultant for the Nigerian plants.
The group described these partnerships as central to its long-term ambition: delivering “world-class facilities,” achieving high reliability and efficiency, and helping to meet Africa’s growing demand for fertilisers.
Dangote says the expansion will not only boost production but will also create jobs, strengthen agricultural supply chains, and support sustainable growth in Nigeria, Ethiopia and across the continent. By boosting local fertiliser supply, the company aims to reduce Africa’s dependence on imports, empower farmers with accessible inputs, and help increase crop yields, a key move for food security and rural livelihoods.
In essence, Dangote’s plan seeks to transform fertilizer from a costly import item into a home-grown, Africa-made input, helping usher in a new era of agricultural productivity, industrialization, and economic resilience across multiple African economies.
By tripling urea output in Nigeria and building a major plant in Ethiopia, Dangote’s expansion could significantly cut fertiliser import bills for African nations, conserve foreign exchange, support stronger agricultural output, and stimulate job creation and local industry. The resulting boost in food supply and export potential may also lift GDP growth across the continent.
