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Aliko Dangote has asked President Denis Sassou Nguesso to support a potash mining project in the Republic of Congo, opening a new front in the Nigerian industrialist’s push to lock down fertiliser inputs and expand beyond cement.
Africa Intelligence reported that Dangote has approached the head of state to discuss Congo’s potash deposits, framing the pitch as part of his strategy to increase fertiliser production.
Dangote already has a significant footprint in Congo through a 1.5 million tonne a year cement plant near Mfila on the main corridor between Pointe Noire and Brazzaville. The facility began operations in 2017 and was built to replace imports and supply demand around the capital.
Potash would be a more politically sensitive move. The mineral is a key ingredient in fertiliser, which sits at the intersection of food prices, farm yields and foreign exchange. Governments tend to treat it as strategic, particularly when new mines require permits, power, water, transport links and export routes to be coordinated across multiple agencies.
Congo has been trying to turn its coastal basin potash resources into an export industry, attracting developers with the promise of deposits close to the Atlantic and shipping lanes. One of the better known projects, Kore Potash’s Kola deposit, is described by the company as a set of relatively flat seams at depths of about 180 to 300 metres below surface.
Dangote’s interest comes as he talks up an aggressive fertiliser expansion from Nigeria. In mid 2025, he said he wanted Africa to become self sufficient in fertiliser within about 40 months by expanding production at his urea plant near Lagos, which has capacity of roughly 3 million tonnes a year.
A potash play in Congo would complement that ambition by adding upstream optionality in a region where fertiliser demand is rising but supply chains can be fragile. It would also fit Dangote’s broader method: build heavy industry close to ports and major markets, then use scale to compete on price.
The exact structure of any Congo deal remains unclear. Africa Intelligence reported only that discussions had reached the president’s desk, and it is common for early stage mining talks to run through multiple rounds before concessions, financing and partners are locked in.
