Faith Nyasuguta
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is set to launch coal exports from Nigeria in the coming weeks, a strategic expansion that strengthens the growing export footprint of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL). This move marks another milestone in the company’s ambition to become a major global player in energy, petrochemicals, and agriculture while boosting Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in Lagos on Monday, Dangote unveiled several new export initiatives aimed at solidifying the company’s international presence. Chief among them is a bold target: earning $6.5 million to $7 million daily from fertiliser exports over the next two years.
“For those familiar with our Cement factory in Itori, we’ve already started exporting cement from Nigeria. We have a six-million-ton capacity facility dedicated to cement exports,” Dangote noted. “In the next few weeks, coal exports will commence. Our fertiliser exports will be significant, about eight full cargoes. And our refinery won’t export less than 25 million tons of various refined products.”
Dangote also spotlighted Nigeria’s heavy reliance on polypropylene imports, revealing that the company is now moving to change the narrative. Nigeria currently imports about 90% of the 250,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene it consumes annually. The petrochemical product is a key raw material in manufacturing, especially in producing plastic packaging.
“We’ll be exporting about 600,000 to 700,000 metric tonnes of polypropylene, which will drastically reduce our dependence on imports,” Dangote said. Local manufacturers estimate this shift could save Nigeria up to $267 million annually in foreign exchange.
In line with this agenda, the company recently announced that it has scaled up production of polypropylene bags from 36 million to 52 million units per month, with plans to increase that further. These bags are vital for packaging fertiliser, cement, and other bulk commodities.
The heart of the new revenue strategy lies in Dangote’s massive fertiliser complex, located in Lagos. The facility, which is the largest granulated urea fertiliser plant in Africa, has an annual production capacity of 3 million metric tonnes. With an expected daily export volume of 16,000 tonnes, the company anticipates steady and high-value foreign earnings for Nigeria.
This export push also aligns with DIL’s ongoing agricultural investments. In Niger State, the conglomerate is building a high-capacity rice mill on 30 hectares, designed to process 32 metric tonnes per hour. The project includes 32 silos, each holding 2,500 metric tonnes of paddy rice, and a 5.8-megawatt captive power plant to ensure uninterrupted operations.
Dangote’s expansive export vision places Nigeria on a more sustainable economic path, one that reduces import reliance and maximizes the country’s natural and industrial resources. As global markets eye Africa’s economic giants, Dangote Industries is positioning itself as a key driver of regional growth and industrialisation.
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