Dangote Industries Limited is positioning itself to become Nigeria's largest foreign exchange earner through an ambitious export expansion program that will include coal shipments and generate up to $7 million in daily revenue from fertiliser sales alone.

Company President Aliko Dangote outlined these plans during a strategic meeting with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) leadership in Lagos on Monday, emphasizing the transformative scale of operations his conglomerate intends to launch.

Massive Export Operations on the Horizon

The billionaire industrialist revealed that Dangote Industries will commence coal exports within weeks, adding to its existing cement export operations from the six-million-ton capacity facility in Itori. The company's export portfolio will expand dramatically to include fertiliser shipments of approximately eight cargo loads and refinery products totaling at least 25 million tons annually.

"When you talk about 16,000 tons of fertiliser, it's actually about $6.5 million to $7 million revenue that will be coming into the country on a daily basis," Dangote explained, projecting this revenue stream to materialize within two years.

The scope extends beyond fertiliser to include 600,000 to 700,000 metric tons of polypropylene exports annually, positioning the company as a major contributor to Nigeria's export economy.

Unprecedented Maritime Activity Expected

Dangote described the logistical magnitude of the planned operations, particularly at the Lekki facility, where approximately 240 crude oil tankers—each carrying one million barrels—will dock annually. Combined with product exports requiring over 600 additional vessels yearly, the operation represents unprecedented maritime activity for Nigerian ports.

"This is an operation that has never, ever been seen in the country," Dangote acknowledged, describing the venture as "a major challenge" that will require substantial infrastructure support.

Critical Infrastructure Needs

The industrialist emphasized that his company's success hinges entirely on port authority capabilities, warning that "our operations will sink if NPA doesn't give us the services we will be needing." He called for federal government support to equip the NPA with necessary infrastructure, including additional tugboats and specialized equipment.

Dangote pledged to advocate with government officials to ensure the port authority receives adequate federal assistance, recognizing that the authority cannot handle such massive operations with existing resources alone.

Economic Impact Projections

Dangote projected that his company's expanded operations would double Nigerian port activity within one to two years, fundamentally transforming the country's maritime economy. As the NPA's self-described "biggest customer," Dangote Industries' growth plans could significantly boost Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings and establish new benchmarks for industrial export operations in West Africa.

The discussions between Dangote and NPA leadership focused on collaborative strategies to deepen Nigeria's marine and blue economy sectors, with both parties committing to work together for national economic benefit.