Dangote Industries Limited is positioning itself as Nigeria’s leading non-oil foreign exchange contributor with plans to generate up to $7 million in daily export revenue through large-scale fertiliser shipments.
This was disclosed by the company’s President, Aliko Dangote, during a visit to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) headquarters in Lagos.
According to Dangote, the group is finalising logistics to export approximately 16,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser per day over the next two years.
The revenue potential, estimated at $6.5 million to $7 million daily, is expected to significantly boost Nigeria’s external reserves and reduce dependence on crude oil earnings.
“We are scaling up our export infrastructure. Fertiliser will be a major contributor to daily forex inflows. This will be followed by the export of coal and other key industrial products,” Dangote stated.
The industrialist also revealed that the group will soon commence exports of coal, polypropylene, and refined petroleum products, with the latter expected to hit 25 million tonnes annually from the company’s Lagos-based refinery operations.
In addition, cement exports are already underway, with a dedicated six-million-tonne facility supporting outbound shipments to regional markets. Collectively, these activities are projected to substantially increase Nigeria’s export volumes and port traffic.
Dangote noted that the company’s maritime footprint is expanding rapidly. “We anticipate over 600 ships annually to support our operations across fertiliser, crude, and finished products. From our Lekki facilities alone, we expect movement of nearly 240 crude vessels each year,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of continuous collaboration with the NPA and called for infrastructure upgrades to accommodate rising export volumes. “We depend on the NPA’s operational efficiency. Their ability to scale with us is critical to sustaining export growth. Equipment, tugboats, and digital systems must be upgraded,” he added.
Responding to the visit, NPA Managing Director Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho reaffirmed the authority’s readiness to support private sector-led expansion.
He highlighted improvements in port logistics under the One-Stop-Shop policy for crude-for-naira transactions and revealed that the NPA is processing an average of 57 vessels monthly — a figure already exceeding projections.
Dantsoho also disclosed progress on modernising port operations, including the rollout of the National Single Window and the Port Community System, which is nearing full implementation.
Construction work on Tincan and Apapa port upgrades is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025 following federal approval.
The visit underscores the growing alignment between Nigeria’s industrial base and its port infrastructure. With Dangote Industries expanding its export portfolio and the NPA investing in capacity upgrades, stakeholders expect increased throughput, enhanced trade efficiency, and long-term gains for Nigeria’s balance of payments.
As global markets shift toward diversified supply chains, the scale of Dangote’s export roadmap positions Nigeria to benefit from rising demand across agriculture, petrochemicals, and construction materials.
