By Ayomide Otitoju
African industrialist Aliko Dangote, President and CEO of Dangote Group, on Thursday spearheaded the groundbreaking of a $2.5 billion fertiliser plant in Gode, Ethiopia, marking a major milestone in the continent’s industrial landscape.
The project, a partnership between Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), will produce three million metric tonnes of urea annually, positioning it among the world’s largest fertiliser complexes. Located in Ethiopia’s southeast, the plant will leverage natural gas from the Hilal and Calub reserves to boost agricultural productivity, generate jobs, and enhance food security across the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed hailed the project as a symbol of cooperation, shared responsibility, and peace, urging Ethiopians to unite in driving progress and elevating the country’s global standing.
Dangote praised the Ethiopian government for economic reforms and infrastructure investments, including transport networks and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which he said created an enabling environment for industrial projects. “This partnership represents a pivotal moment in our shared vision to industrialise Africa and achieve food security,” he said, noting plans to expand production into other fertilisers such as ammonium nitrate, NPK, and calcium ammonium nitrate.
The Gode plant is Dangote Group’s second major venture in Ethiopia, following its 2.5 million-tonne cement facility in Mugher, with an additional $400 million committed to doubling its capacity. Dangote stressed that the project reflects the Group’s philosophy that “only Africans can develop Africa,” citing Nigeria’s transformation into a net exporter of cement, fertiliser, and petroleum products through its industrial investments.
Financial support for the project came from Afreximbank, Africa Finance Corporation, and leading Nigerian banks including Access Bank, First Bank, and Zenith Bank. The groundbreaking ceremony also drew senior Ethiopian officials, industry leaders, and financiers, with the President of Ethiopia’s Somali Region, Mustafa Omar, describing Dangote as “the anchor investor Ethiopia has been looking for.”
Dangote highlighted the broader continental impact of the Group’s industrial ventures, noting that Dangote Cement operates 55 million tonnes per annum across 11 African countries, while the company’s refinery and polypropylene plants in Nigeria have strengthened local production and export capacity. He described the Gode project as a “new dawn” for African industrialisation and a model for private-sector-led development across the continent.
