A new chapter in Africa’s industrial story opened on Thursday, October 2, 2025, as Aliko Dangote, President/Chief Executive, Dangote Group, led the groundbreaking of a $2.5 billion fertiliser plant in Gode, Ethiopia.
The project, a partnership between Dangote Group and Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), with a production capacity of three million metric tonnes of urea annually, is expected to become one of the world’s largest fertiliser complexes. Strategically located in Ethiopia’s South-East region, it will leverage the country’s abundant natural gas resources from the Hilal and Calub reserves to boost agricultural productivity, create jobs, and enhance food security across the Horn of Africa.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed described the fertiliser project as more than just industrial progress, stressing that it symbolises shared responsibility, cooperation, and peace.
PM Abiy said the project reflects Ethiopia’s commitment to harnessing opportunities and elevating its presence on the global stage.
“They embody our shared responsibility to harness opportunities, strengthen cooperation, and promote peace. Hence, I call upon all Ethiopians to continue mobilizing in unity for progress,” Abiy said.
“By doing so, we elevate Ethiopia’s presence on the global stage in a way that honors the true spirit of our Ethiopian identity,” he added.
Dangote commended Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and his cabinet for reforms and economic liberalisation that have opened key sectors to private investments and positioned Ethiopia as one of Africa’s most attractive destinations for global investors. He lauded the government’s investment in infrastructure, including transport, energy, and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which he described as a foundation for the country’s industrialisation.
“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 said. “We are committed to bringing our decades of experience in large-scale industrial projects to ensure this venture becomes a cornerstone of Ethiopia’s industrial transformation.”
Dangote disclosed that the Gode project marks just the beginning, with plans to expand into the production of other fertilisers such as ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulphate, NPK, and calcium ammonium nitrate, positioning Ethiopia as a regional hub for fertiliser production. He predicted that, within five years, Ethiopia could become Africa’s leading agricultural nation.
This investment is Dangote Group’s second major project in Ethiopia. Its cement subsidiary has operated a 2.5Mta plant in Mugher for more than a decade, with an additional $400 million committed to doubling its capacity.
Across Africa, Dangote said the Group’s strategy is guided by the belief that “only Africans can develop Africa,” with a focus on manufacturing to reduce dependence on imports. He highlighted the Group’s role in transforming Nigeria into a net exporter of petroleum products, cement and fertiliser, through its refinery, cement plants, and fertiliser expansion, which is set to become the largest in the world at nine million metric tonnes per annum.
“These investments have already changed Nigeria’s story,” Dangote noted. “We’ve moved from being import-dependent to becoming self-sufficient and even exporters of cement, fertiliser, and petroleum products. Our mission is to help other African nations achieve the same transformation. We strive to make African countries become self sufficient in the production of those goods whose necessary raw materials are readily available.
“We have demonstrated that feat in the cement sector where many African countries are now net exporters of cement through our investments. We are ready and happy to work with more African countries to drive their industrialization plans and aspirations.”
He described the Gode project as a “new dawn,” the first time a private African investor is partnering with an African country to build an industrial complex of this scale. “We understand Africa, its challenges, its opportunities, and its potential. And we believe only Africans can truly transform Africa,” he said.
“Our mission at Dangote Group is to lead Africa’s industrial transformation,” he said. “This project marks the first time a private African investor is partnering with an African country to build such an industrial complex.”
He hinted at the establishment of polypropylene bagging plant to boost the industry in Ethiopia.
Dangote expressed gratitude to financial institutions including Afreximbank, Africa Finance Corporation, Access Bank, First Bank, Zenith Bank, and other indigenous banks for supporting the project.
Meanwhile, the President of the Somali Region, Mustafa Omar, described Aliko Dangote as “the anchor investor Ethiopia has been looking for.”
He noted that Dangote is not only a trusted investor but also one who is highly appreciated by both Ethiopians and Africans at large.
The Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), Dr Umaru Kwairanga, has praised Ethiopia’s leadership for its economic strides and voiced optimism about stronger economic relations between Nigeria and Ethiopia.
Speaking on the new fertiliser complex, Dr Kwairanga described it as a “gigantic project befitting of Aliko Dangote’s vision and execution capacity.”
He noted that the African industrialist had consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing the continent’s self-sufficiency and development.
The event was attended by senior Ethiopian government officials, industry leaders, and financiers.
Across Africa, the Group’s industrial story is expanding. Dangote Cement alone has a total installed capacity of 55 million tonnes per annum across 11 countries. The company also built the world’s largest single-train refinery in Nigeria, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, alongside a one million metric tonne polypropylene plant.
Its fertiliser arm, which started at three million metric tonnes, is being expanded by six million tonnes, a move that will make it the largest fertiliser operation in the world.
In a related development, Dangote Petroleum Refinery has expressed profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his timely intervention in averting what it described as “the disruptive actions of PENGASSAN” against the company.
The company in a statement said the President’s leadership, through his ministers and senior government officials, ensured the restoration of order and stability to the energy sector at a critical moment.
“Dangote Refinery is grateful to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, HE Bola Tinubu, GCFR for his intervention, through his Ministers and senior officials, which resulted in the abatement of the disruptive actions of PENGASSAN against the Refinery,” the statement read.
According to the company, among the key government officials who worked “tirelessly” to restore normalcy were Nigeria’s Security Chiefs, led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Toyin Ajayi; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr. Mohammed Mohammed.
The company also commended the efforts of other senior government officials who worked “untiringly and determinedly into the wee hours of several nights to avert the declared disruption of Nigeria’s energy sector by anarchists and agents of darkness.” These, it said, included the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Dingyadi; the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu; and the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.
“We remain very grateful to these officials for their patriotism and national service,” it added.
Dangote Refinery extended heartfelt gratitude to Nigerians for their overwhelming public support during the crisis.
“To Nigerians of all walks of life, we owe you more than a debt of gratitude. Your support for our righteous cause was both humbling and overwhelming. We heard your supportive voices and words of encouragement literally in all the street corners and media channels of Nigeria and were energized and strengthened thereby.
“You gave us hope and reinforced our belief in the Nigerian nation and people as the backbone of our enterprise. Be assured that we would continue to work for and in your interest and persist in always protecting that interest against rent seekers, economic saboteurs and economic squatters,” the company stated.
The Refinery also lauded its workforce for their loyalty and commitment during the industrial tension.
“To our loyal workers, who ensured that our operations were not disrupted even for a second, we thank and appreciate you. The strength of Dangote Group lies in our people and their unalloyed dedication and allegiance to our cause, mission and vision. You proved your allegiance to our cause these several days even in the face of the provocative and inciting comments of and directives from detractors and naysayers who do not wish us and indeed Nigeria well. Be assured that you are treasured and will continue to be handsomely rewarded and remunerated notwithstanding the hypocritical directives and pronouncements of the enemies of Nigeria’s progress and derailers of our economy”.
Reaffirming its position as one of Nigeria’s foremost employers, the refinery noted that the Dangote Group is a model private sector player committed to fair employment practices and national economic development.
“Perhaps, we should mention, at this point that, the Dangote Group, with due modesty, is recognised as one of Nigeria’s model employers of labour and the largest private sector employer in the country as well as the largest contributor to Nigeria’s tax revenues. Our compensation framework is benchmarked against international standards and designed not only to reward performance but also to protect employee welfare, uphold dignity in labour and provide a safe and enabling workplace for our people. Through continuous training, mentorship and professional development, we create visible pathways for growth thereby empowering our employees to advance into leadership roles and to build long-term and fulfilling careers”.
Dangote Refinery also commended the Nigerian judiciary for upholding justice and protecting the rule of law in the face of provocation.
“One institution that we revere and must loudly acknowledge is the Nigerian judiciary. They stood up for the truth and proved themselves as the bastion of hope for all of us. It is unfortunate that the oligarchs publicly displayed their rascality and lawlessness by refusing to accept service of valid court orders that sort to restrain their destructive actions. Regardless, the fact that the judiciary came to society’s rescue at our critical moment of need, notwithstanding the intimidation of the hypocritical and sabotaging oligarchs, stands the judicial institution out as a just arbiter,” the company noted.
The Refinery reiterated its unwavering dedication to national service and industrial growth.
“Finally, and to all our other stakeholders, big and small, we thank you and will continue to always count on your support. We would not relent in serving the Nigerian nation faithfully and diligently through the uninterrupted production of our petroleum products. Our commitment to the Nigerian nation and our pact with its people remain undiluted, undiminished and unalterable notwithstanding the distractions from our detractors and the saboteurs in our midst,” it affirmed.