Nigeria’s Dangote Fertiliser Ltd. last weekend announced the formal start of production of granular urea “in commercial quantities,” and planned to supply product to the Nigerian market starting June 7, according to local media reports, citing Dangote Group Chairman Aliko Dangote.
This phase 1 of the plant at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, about 50 km east of Central Lagos, has nameplate capacity to produce 3 million mt/y of granular urea, as well as ammonia production capacity.
Citing Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele, Nigeria’s business news website nairametrics.com reported that Dangote’s fully-ramped up urea capacity will take the country’s total urea production capacity to close to 5 million mt/y.
Operational urea production capacity in Nigeria currently comprises Indorama Eleme Fertilizer & Chemicals Ltd.’s Port Harcourt plant, with about 1.4 million mt/y, and Notore Chemical Industries plc’ s plant in Onne near Port Harcourt, with about 300,000 mt/y capacity, according to Emefiele.
In its unaudited results report for the second quarter ended March 31, 2021, Notore said it has completed a turnaround maintenance program at its Onne urea plant aimed at restoring the facility to its nameplate granular urea capacity of 500,000 mt/y. The turnaround began on Jan. 15 (GM Jan. 22, p. 32).