Stakeholders push for increased govt support for $1.5b Akwa Ibom fertiliser complex

Key industry players and agricultural experts are intensifying calls for greater government support for the ongoing $1.5 billion Akwa Ibom Fertiliser Complex. The project, they agreed, is a pivotal investment that will not only catalyse Nigeria’s food industry but also fortify the burgeoning economic partnership between Nigeria and the Kingdom of Morocco.
The project, planned for Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, was projected to begin during the second quarter of this year, but its acceleration has not been impressive.
The planned complex will produce ammonia, Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), and NPK fertiliser. It is viewed as a game-changer for the agricultural sector, which accounts for a significant portion of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and employs a large percentage of its workforce.
When fully developed, the complex should produce 1.5 million tonnes of ammonia per annum in two phases.
About 60–70 per cent of the ammonia will be exported to Morocco, while the rest will be used to produce DAP and NPK fertilizers for domestic use. The project will require about 150 million standard cubic feet of gas for both phases.
Agricultural experts pointed out that the complex’s output would not only meet domestic demand but also position Nigeria as a major exporter of fertilizer to other African nations.
The Director-General, African Centre for Supply Chain (ACSC), Dr. Obiora Madu, underscored the complex’s strategic importance.
He highlighted how the facility, a joint venture between the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and OCP Africa, a subsidiary of Morocco’s OCP Group, is designed to leverage Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources and Morocco’s rich phosphate rock reserves.
Madu stressed that the synergy is a model for continent-wide cooperation and a tangible expression of a mutually beneficial economic relationship.
The project is structured to produce ammonia for export to Morocco while also manufacturing significant quantities of DAP and NPK fertilisers to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand, thereby reducing the nation’s reliance on imported fertilisers and conserving scarce foreign exchange.
He described the project as a “cornerstone” of Nigeria’s efforts to diversify its economy and strengthen its agricultural sector. The partnership with Morocco, specifically through OCP, a global leader in the phosphate and fertilizer industry, positions Nigeria to become a regional powerhouse in fertilizer production. This collaboration, he continued, “extends beyond just commerce, as it aligns the two nations’ strategic interests in promoting food security and sustainable development across Africa.”
In an interview, Director General/Chief Executive, the Pan-African Fertiliser Industry Association (PAFIA), Dr. Innocent Okuku, emphasised the transformative potential of the complex for Nigeria’s food security. He explained that a domestic fertiliser production hub of this scale would provide Nigerian farmers with a consistent and affordable supply of high-quality fertilizers.
“Such investments are crucial for job creation and supporting the agricultural sector. It’s good to start looking at Nigeria as a significant contributor to the global market in terms of using natural resources that we have,” he said.
He also praised the cooperation with OCP of Morocco, calling it a “positive element for countries of strengthening those ties.”
The Akwa Ibom complex, he argued, would help to stabilize prices, increase fertilizer consumption per hectare, and ultimately lead to a significant boost in crop yields and overall food production. “By producing high-quality, customized fertilizers adapted to our unique soil needs, this plant will help our farmers achieve higher yields and better crop quality. This will not only increase farmers’ income but also strengthen our position in the global agricultural market, earning valuable foreign exchange for the country,” he said.
According to him, the project is a crucial step toward building a robust and resilient agricultural value chain. He noted that the economic benefits of the complex are projected to be far-reaching.
In his remarks during a recent stakeholders’ meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Governor Pastor Umo Eno expressed readiness to partner with the NSIA and OCP Africa in four key investment areas. He noted that his government is “willing and ready to partner with experts in different areas to further development in the State and make good his campaign promises as contained in the ARISE Agenda.”
He then set up a team on the government side—including the Managing Director of the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation (AKICORP), Pastor ImoAbasi Jacob; Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Offiong Offor; Executive Director of Agriculture Investment, Pastor Godwin Ukwat; and immediate past Chairman of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the State, Mr. Gabriel Ukpe—to liaise with the selected members on the investors’ team to facilitate the process.
The NSIA, a key partner in the venture, noted that the project will create approximately 500 direct jobs and an estimated 20,000 indirect jobs during the construction and operation phases. These opportunities, from skilled labor at the plant to logistics, distribution, and agro-dealer networks, are expected to significantly reduce unemployment and improve livelihoods, particularly within the host communities in Akwa Ibom State.
The NSIA’s Managing Director/Chief Executive, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said the visit was to discuss three key areas of investment, including ammonia production, a coconut refinery, and green agriculture.
“We came on a visit to the Governor along with our partners called OCP Africa to discuss three areas of investment,” Umar-Sadiq said. “First is around ammonia production and the ammonia phosphate plant. The second is around the coconut refinery that is in Akwa Ibom State that is underutilized. NSIA and OCP want to bring their financial and agricultural expertise in order to enhance the utilization of the coconut refinery and backward integrate toward the production of coconut in the state. The third area of collaboration is that there are green houses that are also underutilized for which OCP has extensive expertise and capital to put those green houses into effective use.”
He also added a fourth area: “putting in place a blending unit so that there can be a plant for blending fertilizers in Akwa Ibom State.”
Umar-Sadiq stated that NSIA and OCP have for the last six years jointly run a program called the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative, where Nigeria has imported phosphate fertilizer from OCP. This project, he explained, is “an attempt to actually backward integrate to begin to produce the ammonia phosphate locally in Nigeria.”
According to him, when executed, the project will “ensure significant wealth creation, incredible job opportunities and make the State a hub for industrial activities.”
The stakeholders’ call is a clear message to the government: timely and robust support for the Akwa Ibom Fertiliser Complex is not just an investment in a single project but a strategic commitment to the future of Nigeria’s economy, its food industry, and its vital relationship with a key continental partner.