Era of importation of agric-products ending in Nigeria - Dangote

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s leading businessman and industrialist, has hinted that the era of importing food items and other agricultural products in Nigeria is gradually nearing its end.
Dangote made this known during the Financial Times’ 4th annual Africa Summit at Claridges in London.
Aliko Dangote
Chairman of Dangote Group of Companies

The summit, which had Nigeria’s Vice-President Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Congolese presidential aspirant, Moise Katumbi, and about 300 business leaders, had the theme ‘What Makes Africa Work’ aimed at x-raying challenges in doing business in Africa and proffering solutions.

“We are not going to import anything any longer,” the chairman of Dangote Group of Companies said. He believed that the over dependence on oil has not been beneficial to the country in recent times as such it became relevant for the country to diversify and tap into her abundant natural and mineral resources.

In 2007, Nigeria was the second largest importer of cement after the US, Dangote reminded the audience of business elites.

“Today, we have not only satisfied domestic needs; we have become a leading exporter of 6-7 million tonnes of cement.

“In Nigeria we are learning how to produce the entire value chain,” Dangote added, saying that in no time, Nigeria will not only have the capacity to feed her over 170 million population, but the entire 320 million large West African market.


Commenting on the diversification into agriculture, the business mogul said that Nigeria, had for long being an importer of fertiliser, but is now gearing up to produce three million tonnes of locally manufactured fertiliser, thereby transforming the nation into one of the largest fertiliser exporters in Africa.

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