Dangote Group Eyes Global Leadership in Urea Fertiliser Exports by 2026, Unveils CNG Fleet to Create 24,000 Jobs
Nigeria is set to emerge as a global force in fertiliser and petrochemicals as the Dangote Group targets becoming the world’s largest exporter of urea fertiliser by 2026. Group President Aliko Dangote disclosed the ambitious plan at the Dangote Refinery complex in Lagos on Monday, during an event marking one year since the facility began rolling out gasoline. He said the expansion reflects not only the company’s growth but also Nigeria’s potential to dominate key industrial markets.
Speaking with optimism, the billionaire industrialist explained that increased urea exports will boost Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings while addressing fertiliser shortages across Africa. “We’re actually targeting to be the largest exporter of urea fertiliser in the world. And that’s a big celebration for Nigeria,” Dangote said. He also highlighted progress in petrochemicals, noting that Nigeria is on course to become Africa’s largest exporter and supplier of polypropylene, a critical raw material for packaging, textiles and automotive parts—reducing the continent’s dependence on imports from Asia and Europe.
At the same event, Dangote unveiled a fleet of 1,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to transport petroleum products nationwide, part of a larger plan to deploy 4,000 CNG trucks by year-end. Valued at more than ₦2 trillion, with each truck costing between ₦170 million and ₦190 million, the investment is designed to ease logistics bottlenecks, cut transport costs and expand fuel access across Nigeria. Industry observers say the initiative could reshape the country’s downstream distribution network.
Dangote stressed that the trucking programme is about people as much as products. Each truck, he explained, will involve at least six workers—including drivers, mechanics, dispatchers and logistics coordinators, creating an estimated 24,000 direct and indirect jobs. “They are not robotic trucks,” he joked, promising driver salaries three to four times higher than the national minimum wage. For thousands of families, the initiative could mean steady income and a path out of poverty.
Looking ahead, the group plans to introduce electric vehicles (EVs) for product transportation starting January 2026, aligning with global energy-transition trends. “Our next phase is that, from February next year, we are looking at doing electric vehicles,” Dangote announced. Analysts say the combined fertiliser, petrochemical and logistics projects signal a bold bet on Nigeria’s industrial future—one that could transform the country from a commodity importer into a manufacturing and export powerhouse.
source: punch