Ghana has signed a $5 billion agreement with Qatar’s Al Jedad Holdings to establish the country’s first primary chemical fertilizer plant, aiming to reduce dependence on imports and strengthen its agricultural sector.
The project, set to begin in October 2025, will be built at the Atuabo Petroleum Hub in the Western Region, in partnership with Granum Limited. Construction is expected to take about 32 months, with completion anticipated by mid-2028.
Unlike Ghana’s current fertilizer blending plants, which rely on imported compounds, the new facility will produce fertilizers directly from raw materials such as natural gas and phosphate rock. Planned outputs include urea, ammonia, ammonium sulfate, muriate of potash, and triple superphosphate.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture highlighted that this marks the first time Ghana will produce fertilizers like urea and ammonia locally, a move expected to significantly reduce imports. In 2024, Ghana brought in around 554,239 tonnes of fertilizers, ranking as the third-largest importer in West Africa, after Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire.
Beyond import substitution, the plant is projected to create over 2,000 direct jobs, with a focus on employing youth. Once operational, Ghana will join Nigeria and Senegal as one of the few West African nations with primary fertilizer production capacity.
Officials say the project will not only support farmers with affordable inputs but also enhance the country’s industrial base and long-term economic self-reliance.
