• Ethiopia was Africa's largest fertilizer importer in 2024, acquiring nearly 1.97 million tonnes, primarily NP compounds and urea.
• Sub-Saharan Africa's top five importers—Ethiopia, Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria, and Côte d'Ivoire—rely heavily on imports due to limited local primary fertilizer production.
• Several countries, including Kenya, Zambia, and Côte d'Ivoire, re-export significant portions of their imported fertilizers to regional markets.

On September 1, 2025, the Africa Fertilizer Industry Development Association (AFIDA) officially launched during the Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF), held from August 31 to September 5 in Senegal. This new structure aims to strengthen the continent's fertilizer sector and support smallholder farmers, aligning with the Ten-Year Fertilizer and Soil Health Plan adopted in Nairobi in May 2024.

The market in Sub-Saharan Africa is developing, where industrialists primarily blend imported primary fertilizers, mainly due to a lack of local raw materials. Data compiled by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) through the Africa Fertiliser platform reveals the region's main fertilizer importers for 2024.

Ethiopia

As Africa's top fertilizer importer, the country procured nearly 1.97 million tonnes of fertilizer from the international market in 2024, according to IFDC. While exact input details remain unavailable, purchases over the past five years almost exclusively consisted of NP compound fertilizers and urea.

The Ethiopian government significantly controls the fertilizer supply chain. According to IFDC, the Ethiopian Agricultural Businesses Corporation (EABC) imports and uses over 90% of fertilizers in Ethiopia, with cooperatives facilitating distribution to farmers. Ethiopia also stands as the only country on this list where re-export flows appear non-existent.

Kenya

Fertilizer imports in East Africa's largest economy totaled 834,331 tonnes in 2024. Specifically, NPK compound fertilizers constituted 25.17% of the stock, diammonium phosphate 20.91%, urea 15.44%, and calcium ammonium nitrate 13.84%.

Several companies, including CFAO Agri Limited, MEA Fertilizers, Export Trading Company Limited, and Fertiplant East Africa, participate in fertilizer blending. IFDC reports these companies blend various NPK fertilizer grades specifically for local and regional markets. Export flows confirm that 117,000 tonnes of fertilizer, primarily NPK, urea, diammonium phosphate, and muriate of potash, were re-exported in 2024, representing 14% of total purchases.

Zambia

As Southern Africa's primary importer, Zambia procured 796,713 tonnes of fertilizer from the international market in 2024. While imports diversified similarly to Kenya, urea led purchases, accounting for nearly 36% of the announced stock. NPK followed (15.29%), then monoammonium phosphate (10.66%), ammonium sulfate (9.48%), and muriate of potash (8.33%).

Key importing companies—Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia in Kafue, Fertilizer Seed & Grain (FSG) Zambia, Zambian Fertilizers Ltd, and United Capital Fertilizers (all three in Lusaka)—have invested in blending facilities. These facilities allow them to create various NPK fertilizer formulations.

Regarding export flows, IFDC indicates that 109,160 tonnes of fertilizer, mainly NPK and diammonium phosphate, were re-exported from the Southern African country in 2024. This represents 13.7% of total purchases made the same year.

Nigeria

Ranking fourth on this list, Nigeria stands as West Africa's largest fertilizer importer. In 2024, IFDC data indicates the continent's most populous country imported 737,822 tonnes of fertilizer. Ammonium sulfate (62.23%), muriate of potash (18.92%), and diammonium phosphate (18.70%) almost exclusively constituted this stock.

This limited import diversification can be explained by the country importing only primary fertilizers it cannot produce locally in sufficient quantities. According to IFDC, imported compounds are then blended with locally produced urea (nitrogen) to obtain various NPK fertilizer grades. Three major companies dominate the industry in the country: Notore, Indorama, and Dangote.

Côte d’Ivoire

The leading economy of WAEMU imported 575,630 tonnes of fertilizer in 2024, according to IFDC. Urea led purchases, accounting for 31.29% of the stock. Muriate of potash followed (23.66%), then NPK (14.33%), triple superphosphate (13.34%), and diammonium phosphate (5.35%).

In the country, most imported fertilizers serve as raw materials for producing compound fertilizers, destined for the local market and the sub-region, particularly Burkina Faso and Mali. IFDC data indicates, for example, that Côte d'Ivoire re-exported 212,282 tonnes in 2024.

Key companies operating in fertilizer blending include Agro West Africa, Seap-ci, Sea Invest, Solevo, and Yara.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum