• Dangote Industries expects to earn up to $7 million daily from fertilizer exports within two years

• The group’s wider export portfolio includes cement, coal, polypropylene, and refined products

• Port infrastructure upgrades are underway to support the scaling of Dangote’s export operations

Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) projects that it could generate up to $7 million per day from fertilizer exports alone within the next two years, positioning itself as Nigeria’s top private foreign exchange earner. The estimate was disclosed during a visit by Aliko Dangote to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) headquarters in Lagos.

According to Dangote, fertilizer exports are expected to reach 16,000 tonnes per day, translating to daily revenues of between $6.5 million and $7 million. This output would significantly strengthen Nigeria’s global presence in the fertilizer market at a time when international demand and prices remain stable.

Fertilizer is only one component of DIL’s broader export strategy. The company is currently exporting six million tonnes of cement annually from its Itori plant in Ogun State, with coal shipments expected to begin shortly. Additionally, DIL plans to export 600,000 to 700,000 tonnes of polypropylene and refined petroleum products from its Lekki refinery, which has a total export capacity of 25 million tonnes per year.

To support this expansion, logistics and maritime infrastructure are central. Dangote highlighted the need for improved operational capacity at Nigerian ports, noting that about 240 crude carriers and 600 refined product vessels will depart from the Lekki site annually. He called for the NPA to accelerate its technical upgrades, particularly in navigation assistance systems.

In response, NPA General Manager Abubakar Dantsoho affirmed that the "Naira for Crude" initiative, launched in October 2024, has enabled the handling of up to 57 vessels per month. He also confirmed plans to modernize the Tin-Can and Apapa terminals by Q3 2025, and announced approval for the development of five additional deep-water ports.

Dangote’s growing export infrastructure reflects a strategic effort to diversify Nigeria’s non-oil revenue base while leveraging key industrial assets to drive long-term foreign exchange earnings.