Africa’s richest man and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has identified low fertilizer usage as the major reason for low productivity in the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
Dangote revealed that the non-availability of fertilizer in quantity and quality rather than affordability is the primary constraint in the use of fertilizer in the country today.
This was made known by Dangote while delivering his speech at the commissioning of the $2.5 billion Dangote fertilizer plant at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 22, 2022.
Dangote said that the major objective of the fertilizer plant is to make the product available in sufficient quantities and qualities for its teeming farmers and assuring greater agricultural output.
He listed the various actions of the Dangote Group to help the country realise its potential in the agricultural sector to include rolling out initiatives that transform agricultural services including extension services for all small and medium-scale farmers.
The Dangote Group CEO said that the fertilizer company also established a well-equipped soil testing laboratory to ensure that appropriate fertilizer blends are applied to specific soil and all crop types. This is expected to help boost productivity and enhance output across the nation.
What the CEO of Dangote Group is saying
- Aliko Dangote said, ‘’Agriculture accounts for about 20% of Nigeria’s GDP and the country is a producer of various agricultural commodities. The sector has the potential to become the biggest source of income for our nation, providing raw materials for industries.
- ‘’However, low fertilizer usage has been a major reason for low productivity in the sector. It is common knowledge that non-availability of the product in quantity and quality rather than affordability is the primary constraint to use of fertilizer today.
- ‘’Our goal is to make fertilizer available in sufficient quantities and qualities for our teeming farmers assuring greater agricultural output.
- ‘’To help realize these potentials, we are rolling out initiatives that transform agricultural services including extension services for all small and medium-scale farmers.
- ‘’We have also established a well-equipped soil testing laboratory to ensure that appropriate fertilizer blends are applied to specific soil and all crop types. This will boost productivity, it will enhance output across the nation.’’
Dangote also noted the fertilizer company will partner with all the key stakeholders in the industry including farmers’ associations, NPK blenders, NGO development partners and state governments across Nigeria who are committed to a sustainable approach in improving soil quality and farm yields.
