Rabat – Morocco’s fertilizer giant OCP Group inaugurated this week its first ultramodern fertilizer blending plant on the continent in Kaduna, in northern Nigeria.
The aim of the new Kaduna facility is to assist Nigerian farmers in enhancing and increasing soil yields in order to attain food security.
It will also serve as a space for sharing experiences, knowledge, and know-how between OCP Group and stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Nigeria.
The inauguration ceremony was marked by the presence of OCP Africa CEO Mohamed Anouar Jamali, and Vice-President of West Africa Mohamed Hettiti, as well as Kaduna State Governor Nasir El- Rufai.
The new 10-hectare plant comprises a blending unit with a production capacity of 120 tonnes per hour and a storage unit with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes.
It also contains a modern training facility, a laboratory equipped with advanced analytical technology to assure the conduct of quality control and soil analysis, and a model farm for performing agronomic trials and farmer training.
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The new plant is one of three planned fertilizer blending units in Nigeria, with the other two now under construction in Ogun and Sokoto. The three plants are part of OCP Group’s collaboration with the Nigerian government to improve the country’s agriculture.
“This facility is not only for the production of fertilizers, but also to have a profound impact on the agricultural value chain of the country,” the OCP Africa CEO said, adding that “OCP Africa is committed to contributing to the transformation of the food system on the continent, and Nigeria represents a strategic pole for our group.”
Hettiti stated that “effective use of custom fertilizer is one of the best ways to increase farmers’ productivity.”
“Every new factory, every new store, every new industrial complex generates employment and income that helps support families and reduce poverty in our state,” Kaduna State Governor Nasir El- Rufai highlighted.
