To increase fertiliser supply to farmers in Africa’s biggest economy and contribute to the global market amid the Russian- Ukraine war, OCP Africa has inaugurated its first fertiliser blending plant in Kaduna.
The ultramodern plant, branded, Kaduna Centre of Excellence, conceived to stimulate Nigeria’s agro-value-chain was commissioned by Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna state.
El-Rufai said that the reality of the vision is evidence that Kaduna is a safe haven for investors, which is why global businesses like OCP Africa are responding to the state’s investment push.
“For us in Kaduna, every new factory implies more jobs, bringing incomes that help to feed families and reduce poverty in our state,” he said at the commissioning.
“OCP Africa locating a fertiliser blending plant and Centre of Excellence within Kaduna State also expands the access that our farmers have to fertiliser supplies and agronomic support.”
According to him, the blending plant will help improve the availability of an essential ingredient for farming, which he said would support farmers to be more productive, particularly with soil and crop specific fertilisers.
“We look forward to building a stronger relationship with the OCP Group.”
In his welcome remarks, Mohamed Anouar Jamali, chief executive officer, OCP Africa expressed gratitude to the three tiers of government, including community leaders for the support they gave, which contributed to making the vision a reality.
“The plant we are here to launch is a strategic investment tailored toward strengthening Nigeria’s fertilizer industry,” Jamali said.
“This facility is not just about blending fertilizers but about profoundly impacting the country’s agricultural value chain,” he stated.
He said OCP Africa is committed to contributing to the transformation of food systems in the continent, and Nigeria bears a strategic focus for the company.
Mohamed Hettiti, senior vice president, OCP Africa, who introduced the key features of the blending plant pointed out that the Kaduna Centre of Excellence has at its core a 120 metric tons per hour process blending plant with a dosing system capable of producing macro and micronutrients as well as a liquid dosing feature.
He added that “At OCP Africa we are convinced that the efficient use of customized fertilizers is one of the best ways to increase farmers’ productivity and ensure food security.”
“To provide these high quality fertilizers in the Nigeria agricultural space, we had within the past six years with local partners sponsored several research and development projects which have resulted in the formulation of bespoke fertilizers recommendation for different crop types in Nigeria.”
It was gathered that, OCP Africa, subsidiary of OCP Group – a global leader in phosphate and its derivatives – focuses on efficient use of specialty and adapted fertilizer as one of the best ways to increase farmers’ productivity and ensure food security.
The quest to stimulate agriculture throughout Nigeria had seen OCP Africa embark on two other similar projects, one in Ogun State and the other in Sokoto State.
Read also: Fertiliser production to hit 3.2MMT as OCP unveils blending plant
The three blending plants would have a combined production capacity of 500,000MT per year, which is expected to lead to sufficiency in fertilizers in the domestic market with potentials for export.
Caleb Usoh, deputy managing director of program incubation (W/A), OCP Africa, also disclosed that “OCP Africa is also investing in a Joint Venture with the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to develop an Ammonia and DAP Industrial plant.”
“The $1.4 billion industrial plant project, which would be cited in Akwa-Ibom is expected to utilize Nigerian gas and Moroccan phosphate to produce 750,000MT of ammonia and 1,000,000MT of phosphate fertilizers. It should commence production in about four years’ time,” Usoh added.
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