Stakeholders in the Nigerian fertiliser industry have scored the sector’s productivity and performance very high.
The experts gave the commendations in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
The Executive Secretary, West African Fertiliser Association (WAFA), Mr Innocent Ikuku, said Nigeria is the highest producer of urea in the whole of West Africa.
Ikuku said that the industry had recorded tremendous improvement in the last five years.
“The Nigerian fertiliser industry is one that has transformed significantly over the last five years.
“From having only a single manufacturer of urea, which was Notore in about 10 years ago, we come to a place now where we have three fertilisers manufacturers.
“Nigeria presently has capacity for more than five million tonnes of urea production annually. So, Nigeria is producing urea beyond what is able to consume.
“So, it means in terms of urea, there is enough supply for the market,” Ikuku told NAN.
He, however, noted that the other inputs required to make fertiliser balance, namely phosphate and potash, were still imported.
He said that the gap must be bridged for further growth and development of the sector.
Ikuku said: “Nigeria is gradually becoming the hub for fertiliser production and distribution for the whole of West Africa.
“This is because Nigeria is where you have excess nitrogen that can be supplied to other countries in West Africa.
“And we have installed capacity for blending that is far beyond what the country needs.
“So, Nigerian fertiliser sector is basically just taking off and if the environment remains friendly and we allow private sector to keep investing as they should, the sector is going to boom in the near future.
“And by implication this affects West African countries and that will improve access to fertiliser and consumption,” Ikuku said.
On his part, Mr Moses Negedu, analyst, Fertilizer Producers & Suppliers Association of Nigeria, commended the growth of the sector.
Negedu, however, said that the sector would experience more growth with the right policies.
“The Nigerian fertiliser sector is a green industry and we believe that since it is growing, there is potential for more growth.
“If we harness the government and private sector coalition then, the fertiliser industry has great potential for growth both for the domestic and international market.
“We must put in place the right policies to steer more growth in the Nigerian fertiliser industry,” Negedu said.
Source: News Agency of Nigeria