Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, is pressing ahead with plans to build a major seaport near his fertilizer and oil refinery plants, a strategic move designed to streamline exports and fuel the continued growth of his industrial empire.
In a recent interview in Lagos, Dangote revealed that his group submitted formal documents in late June to launch what he described as “the biggest, deepest port in Nigeria.”
The proposed Atlantic seaport will be located in Olokola, Ogun State, roughly 100 kilometres (62 miles) from his massive fertilizer and petrochemical complexes in Lagos, according to Bloomberg.
At the moment, Dangote exports fertilizer and urea using a private jetty built near the refinery, the same jetty used to receive heavy industrial equipment essential to the group’s operations.
The new port is intended to better integrate logistics and export functions across the Dangote Group and could emerge as a major competitor to existing ports in Lagos, including the Chinese-backed Lekki Deep Sea Port, which opened in 2023.
“It’s not that we want to do everything by ourselves,” “But I believe this kind of investment will inspire other entrepreneurs to get involved too.” Dangote said.
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Dangote also plans to begin exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Lagos, a project that will involve constructing new pipelines from Nigeria’s gas-rich Niger Delta.
“We want to do a major project to bring in more gas than what NLNG is doing today,” he said, referencing Nigeria LNG Ltd., the country’s leading LNG exporter and a joint venture involving the Nigerian government, Shell Plc, Eni SpA, and TotalEnergies SE.
“We know where there is a lot of gas, so we’ll run a pipeline all the way and bring it to the shore,” Dangote added.
Natural gas from the Niger Delta already powers his large fertilizer plant, where it serves as feedstock to produce hydrogen for ammonia, a key component in fertilizer manufacturing.
Driven by long-term vision and large-scale ambition, Dangote believes Africa could be transformed into a “heaven” within just five years.
Earlier this year, he said his conglomerate is on track to generate $30 billion in total revenue by next year, even as international markets grow wary of possible trade disruptions under U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies.
He also noted the group’s goal of surpassing Qatar to become the world’s largest exporter of urea within the next four years.
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Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
