Dangote now test-running $2b fertiliser plant

Fertiliser sample. Dangote’s Granulated Urea Fertiliser complex is the largest globally, with a capacity of three million tonnes per year. PHOTO | FILE | NMG 

In Summary

• With a capacity of three million tonnes per year, the plant is the biggest project in the fertiliser industry’s global history.

By The EastAfrican
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Dangote Fertiliser Ltd has begun countdown to the inauguration of its $2 billion Granulated Urea Fertiliser complex located in the Dangote Free Zone in Nigeria.

With a capacity of three million tonnes per year, the plant is the biggest project in the fertiliser industry’s global history.

Siapem of Italy is the engineering, procurement and supervision contractor for the project, while Tata Consulting Engineers of India, is the project management consultant.

Critical sections of the plant are currently going through various stages of pre-commissioning and test-running, including the central control room, ammonia and urea bulk storage, cooling tower, power generator plant and granulation plant.

Already, Dangote Fertiliser has started receiving gas supply from the Nigerian Gas Company and Chevron Nigeria Ltd under the Gas Sale and Purchase Agreement, to supply 70 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas.

MAJOR BOOST

The project, which will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in construction and related fields, is a major boost to the agricultural sector as it will significantly reduce fertiliser imports into Nigeria, and ultimately remove the need for imports when the plant is in full production.

Dangote group executive director of strategy, portfolio development and capital projects, Devakumar Edwin said the country will save some $0.5 billion from import substitution and provide $0.4 billion from exports of products from the plant.

“I am happy that by the time our plant is fully commissioned, the country will become self-sufficient in fertiliser production and even have the capacity to export the products to other African countries,” said Mr Edwin.

He added: “Right now, farmers are forced to utilise whatever fertiliser is available as they have no choice; but we need to know that the fertiliser that will work in one state may not be suitable in another, as the area may not have the same soil type and composition. The same fertiliser you use for sorghum may not be the fertiliser you will use for sugar cane.”

Mr Edwin said that the fertiliser complex, which sits on 500 hectares of land has the capacity to expand as it occupies a small fraction of the allotted portion.