A significant stride in Africa’s industrial ambition was taken on Thursday as Aliko Dangote, President/Chief Executive of Dangote Group, led the groundbreaking ceremony for a colossal $2.5 billion fertiliser plant in Gode, Ethiopia.
The project, touted as one of the world's largest fertiliser complexes, marks a new chapter in the continent's drive towards food self-sufficiency and industrialisation.
The venture is a joint partnership between the Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), the government’s strategic investment arm.
Located in the South-East region of Ethiopia, the facility will boast an annual production capacity of three million metric tonnes of urea.
Crucially, the plant is strategically positioned to leverage the country’s abundant natural gas resources from the Hilal and Calub reserves, positioning it as a powerful engine to boost agricultural productivity, create jobs, and enhance food security across the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed lauded the project as being more than just economic progress.
He described the fertiliser complex as a profound symbol of "shared responsibility, cooperation, and peace," reflecting Ethiopia’s commitment to "harnessing opportunities and elevating its presence on the global stage."
Dangote, in turn, commended the Prime Minister's administration for initiating economic reforms and liberalisation that have significantly opened key sectors to private investments.
He noted that the government's investment in crucial infrastructure, including transport, energy, and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, provides a robust foundation for the country’s industrial transformation.
“This partnership with Ethiopian Investment Holdings represents a pivotal moment in our shared vision to industrialise Africa and achieve food security across the continent,” Dangote stated.
He reiterated the Group’s commitment to deploying its vast experience in large-scale industrial projects to ensure the venture becomes a cornerstone of Ethiopia's industrial transformation.
The Gode project is Dangote Group's second major investment in Ethiopia, building on the success of its cement subsidiary, which has operated a 2.5 million tonnes per annum plant in Mugher for over a decade.
The Group has committed an additional $400 million to double the cement plant’s capacity, demonstrating its long-term belief in the Ethiopian market.
The Nigerian billionaire emphasised that the Gode plant is only the beginning.
He revealed plans to diversify production to include other vital fertilisers like ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, NPK, and calcium ammonium nitrate, a move intended to firmly position Ethiopia as a regional hub for fertiliser production.
He optimistically predicted that these investments could help transform Ethiopia into Africa's leading agricultural nation within five years.
The Group also intends to establish a polypropylene bagging plant to support the new industry.
Dangote underscored that the Group’s continental strategy is fundamentally guided by the philosophy that only Africans can develop Africa.
He highlighted the transformative impact of the Group's investments in Nigeria, which have successfully moved the nation from being import-dependent to a net exporter of cement, fertiliser, and petroleum products.
“We strive to make African countries become self sufficient in the production of those goods whose necessary raw materials are readily available,” Dangote asserted, adding that the mission is to help other African nations achieve similar transformations.
He described the Gode project as a new dawn and a historic milestone, being the first time a private African investor is partnering with an African government to build an industrial complex of such magnitude.
“We understand Africa, its challenges, its opportunities, and its potential. And we believe only Africans can truly transform Africa,” he affirmed.
Further cementing the project's importance, the President of the Somali Region, Mustafa Omar, described Aliko Dangote as the highly appreciated anchor investor Ethiopia has been looking for.
The monumental project, which drew the attendance of senior Ethiopian government officials, industry leaders, and financiers, received gratitude from Dangote to key financial partners, including Afreximbank, Africa Finance Corporation, Access Bank, First Bank, and Zenith Bank.
The Ethiopia fertiliser plant is a crucial component of the Dangote Group’s expanding African industrial footprint, which includes operations like the world’s largest single-train refinery in Nigeria and a fertiliser arm expanding its total capacity to a world-leading nine million metric tonnes per annum.
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