President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening food security across Africa through large-scale fertiliser investments, declaring that the continent possesses the capacity to feed itself and become a net exporter of agricultural products.
Dangote made the declaration while addressing journalists in Gode, Ethiopia’s Somali region, during a high-profile visit hosted by Abiy Ahmed. The Ethiopian Prime Minister personally received Dangote and accompanied him to inspect the site of the proposed fertiliser plant, where construction activities are already underway.
Speaking on the importance of fertiliser in improving agricultural productivity, Dangote said Africa’s food insecurity challenges are largely linked to inadequate access to key agricultural inputs.
“Africa holds immense agricultural potential, yet continues to grapple with food insecurity due to limited access to fertiliser,” he said. “Through our investments, we are committed to reversing this trend by boosting productivity, empowering farmers, and advancing a sustainable path to food self-sufficiency.”
He added that the Group’s ambition of transforming Africa into a food-secure continent is achievable through sustained investment in fertiliser production and agricultural infrastructure.
“Africa has the capacity to feed itself and even export to the rest of the world. Our fertiliser investments across the continent are designed to unlock that potential and secure a prosperous future for our people,” Dangote stated.
The billionaire businessman also announced a significant increase in the Group’s investment portfolio in Ethiopia, disclosing that investments in the country have now risen from $2.5 billion to over $4 billion.
According to him, the expanded investment scope includes the development of a 110-kilometre pipeline, a 120-megawatt power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant, among other infrastructure projects.
Dangote described Ethiopia as a major strategic destination for the Group’s long-term investment agenda across Africa.
“In total, our declared and signed investments in Ethiopia now exceed $4 billion. This makes Ethiopia the second-largest recipient of our investments in Africa, accounting for nearly nine per cent of our continental outlay between now and 2030,” he said.
He further praised Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s leadership and developmental vision, noting that meaningful economic transformation requires strong collaboration between governments and the private sector.
“The Prime Minister is driving development beyond expectations, but such progress requires strong private sector collaboration. We are proud to partner with Ethiopia to help build one of Africa’s most dynamic economies in the coming decade,” he added.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described Dangote as a trusted development partner and commended the pace of work on the fertiliser project, which he said aligns with Ethiopia’s broader economic and agricultural priorities.
The Prime Minister said the project would boost local fertiliser production, reduce dependence on imports, and support millions of Ethiopian farmers through improved access to agricultural inputs.
He added that the investment would also generate employment opportunities, strengthen Ethiopia’s industrial value chain, and reinforce the country’s position as an emerging agro-industrial hub on the continent.
“This type of large-scale investment demonstrates the power of strong collaboration between government and the private sector,” Abiy Ahmed said. “Expanding such partnerships will accelerate economic growth, attract further investment, and improve the livelihoods of our people.”
The Dangote fertiliser initiative is widely regarded as a major step toward transforming Africa’s agricultural sector by improving productivity, reducing import dependence, and driving inclusive economic growth across the continent.
