The much awaited first batch of fertilizer products from the Dangote Fertilizer plant in Ibeju-Lekki free trade zone will hit the market before the end of November, the company has announced.
Also, it said the ongoing overall work at the Petrochemical plant at the same location has reached 80 percent completion.
Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects & Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin, told journalists Wednesday that Dangote Fertilizer Limited is fully committed to improving farmers’ yield from their harvest.
According to him, the fertiliser company will also assist farmers in the country to determine which particular fertiliser product to a particular soil type as its well-equipped fertiliser soil testing laboratory will help ensure efficiency of the product for farmers.
He said “The laboratory will enable us to analyse and identify a particular soil deficiency from any part of the country, apply the right fertilizer to the soil to enable it to yield maximum results.”
According to him, “though the engineering and other works can be put at 60 percent completion but the construction and overall work is 80 percent completed.
We are sure the refinery will be ready for commissioning by the middle of next year. Our fertiliser company is already being commissioned now and the product may hit the market before the end of this month”.
“The refinery is designed to handle Nigeria crude but the operation will be flexible in that if we need to source crude from other countries too we will definitely do that”, he said further.”
Speaking on how the refinery will lead to reduction in pump price of petroleum products, the Executive Director said “This is a simple economic principle of demand and supply which speaks of price reduction as the supply increases. You can be sure our production capacity will take care of local consumption and when there is more than enough, we can talk of exports.
Mr Edwin said, “beyond generating massive employment, the refinery when completed will play a good role in stabilising the Naira because it will help to keep our money back home.