Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group and President of Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has announced ambitious plans for the conglomerate to significantly boost Nigeria's foreign exchange earnings through a massive expansion of its export business. Key among these initiatives is the upcoming commencement of coal exports from Nigeria, alongside substantial increases in fertiliser and refinery product shipments.

During a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) headquarters in Lagos on Monday, May 26, 2025, Dangote detailed these strategic moves. He revealed that DIL will soon begin exporting coal. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify Nigeria's export base and generate substantial revenue. The conglomerate also plans to export 16,000 tons of fertiliser within the next two years, a venture projected to earn between $6.5 million and $7 million daily. Dangote emphasized that these fertiliser exports, involving about eight cargoes, would position his company as a major supplier of foreign exchange for Nigeria.

The 650,000 barrels per day Dangote Refinery is central to these export plans. It is expected to export more than 25 million tons of various petroleum products annually. Furthermore, Dangote announced that the company has entered into polypropylene production and will commence its export in a few weeks, targeting an export volume of 600,000 to 700,000 metric tonnes. This development is significant, as Dangote previously stated that from October, Nigeria would no longer need to import polypropylene, a versatile product used in textile and plastic manufacturing, with the refinery poised to enter a market estimated at $267.7 million.

Beyond these new ventures, Dangote highlighted ongoing successes, such as the export of six million tons of cement from its Itori factory. The scale of Dangote's operations, particularly in Lekki, Lagos, is vast. He described operations involving approximately 240 ships of crude oil annually, with each ship carrying one million barrels of crude, and fertiliser operations requiring almost eight ships loading per day. In total, product shipments could amount to 600 ships annually.

Expressing confidence in the support of the NPA, Dangote acknowledged the authority as the company’s largest customer. The NPA’s Managing Director and CEO, Abubakar Dantsoho, lauded Dangote’s achievements. Dantsoho highlighted the success of the naira-for-crude sale policy, which commenced in October 2024, noting that it has enhanced transactional efficiency. He reported that the NPA has been handling approximately 57 vessels per month for Dangote, exceeding the initially projected annual volume of 600 vessels. Dantsoho stressed that collaboration among government agencies is key to achieving broader economic efficiencies.