President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has increased the company’s investment in Ethiopia to over $4bn as part of efforts to strengthen Africa’s food security through large-scale fertiliser production.
Dangote disclosed this during a visit to Gode in Ethiopia’s Somali region, where he was hosted by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
According to a statement released on Sunday, the Ethiopian leader received Dangote and accompanied him on an inspection tour of the site of a proposed fertiliser plant currently under construction.
Speaking during the visit, Dangote said Africa’s persistent food insecurity is largely driven by limited access to fertiliser despite the continent’s enormous agricultural potential.
“Africa holds immense agricultural potential, yet continues to grapple with food insecurity due to limited access to fertiliser. 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 stated.
He added that Africa has the capacity not only to feed itself but also to become a major exporter of agricultural products if investments in fertiliser production continue to grow.
“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 said.
According to him, the Group’s investment in Ethiopia has now risen from $2.5bn to more than $4bn.
The investment covers several major infrastructure projects, including a 110-kilometre pipeline, a 120-megawatt power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a two-million-tonne NPK blending plant.
“In total, our declared and signed investments in Ethiopia now exceed $4bn. 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.
Dangote described Ethiopia as a strategic hub for the Group’s long-term expansion plans across Africa and praised the development initiatives of the Ethiopian government under Abiy Ahmed.
“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, Abiy Ahmed welcomed the investment and described Dangote as a reliable partner in Ethiopia’s industrialisation efforts.
He noted that the fertiliser project would help increase local production capacity, reduce dependence on imports, and support millions of farmers across the country.
“This type of large-scale investment demonstrates the power of strong collaboration between government and the private sector. Expanding such partnerships will accelerate economic growth, attract further investment, and improve the livelihoods of our people,” the Ethiopian leader said.
The project is also expected to strengthen Ethiopia’s agricultural value chain, create employment opportunities, and position the country as a growing agro-industrial hub on the African continent.
