Aliko Dangote raises Ethiopia investment to $4 billion, making it the 2nd largest recipient of his continental spending

Aliko Dangote has raised his group's total investment commitment in Ethiopia to more than $4 billion, up from an earlier figure of $2.5 billion, as the Nigerian billionaire deepens a continental push centered on fertiliser production and food security.

Dangote disclosed the revised figure during a visit to Gode in Ethiopia's Somali region, where he was received by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The 2 men toured the site of a proposed fertiliser plant currently under construction. Ahmed also issued a public statement welcoming the investment.

"In total, our declared and signed investments in Ethiopia now exceed $4 billion," Dangote said. "This makes Ethiopia the 2nd largest recipient of our investments in Africa, accounting for nearly 9% of our continental outlay between now and 2030."

What the $4 billion covers

The investment package spans several major infrastructure components. Dangote said it includes a 110-kilometer pipeline, a 120-megawatt power plant, a polypropylene packaging facility, and a 2-million-tonne NPK blending plant. The fertiliser facility is the centerpiece of the project and is intended to serve Ethiopian farmers while reducing the country's dependence on imported agricultural inputs.

Dangote framed the investment in terms of a broader problem he believes the continent has the means to solve. "Africa holds immense agricultural potential, yet continues to grapple with food insecurity due to limited access to fertiliser," he said. "Through our investments, we are committed to reversing this trend by boosting productivity, empowering farmers, and advancing a sustainable path to food self-sufficiency."

He went further, arguing that the continent's agricultural capacity is not just a domestic issue. "Africa has the capacity to feed itself and even export to the rest of the world. Our fertiliser investments across the continent are designed to unlock that potential and secure a prosperous future for our people," Dangote said.

Ahmed's reception

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed welcomed the expanded commitment and described Dangote as a trusted private sector partner in Ethiopia's industrialisation drive. He said the fertiliser project would lift local production, cut import bills, and directly support millions of farmers.

"This type of large-scale investment demonstrates the power of strong collaboration between government and the private sector," Ahmed said. "Expanding such partnerships will accelerate economic growth, attract further investment, and improve the livelihoods of our people."

Dangote returned the praise, saying Ahmed's development agenda was advancing faster than many expected but that the pace of progress required private capital to match it. "The Prime Minister is driving development beyond expectations, but such progress requires strong private sector collaboration. We are proud to partner with Ethiopia to help build one of Africa's most dynamic economies in the coming decade," he said.

A growing continental footprint

The Ethiopia expansion is consistent with a pattern Dangote has followed across Africa, using fertiliser as an entry point into new markets while building out surrounding infrastructure. His flagship Dangote Fertiliser plant in Lagos remains the largest single-train urea plant in Africa and one of the largest in the world. The group has used that model as a template for replication elsewhere on the continent.

Ethiopia is now ranked 2nd only to Nigeria in terms of Dangote Group investment, a signal of how seriously the company is treating the East African market. The country's large agricultural sector, population of more than 120 million people, and government appetite for foreign investment have made it an attractive destination.

The project in the Somali region is expected to strengthen Ethiopia's agricultural value chain, generate employment, and position the country as a growing agro-industrial hub in the region. The Dangote Group has not given a completion date for the fertiliser plant, but construction is underway and the visit by Dangote himself suggests the project is moving at pace.

Nigeria's Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture, known as NCCIMA, separately issued a statement praising the group's pan-African investment expansion, calling it a model for private sector engagement across the continent.