Ensuring Food Self-Sufficiency in Ethiopia Is Our Main Agenda — PM Abiy

Addis Ababa, May 17, 2026 (FMC) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said necessary support will be provided to ensure the Gode Fertilizer Factory under construction in Somali Regional State is completed ahead of schedule, stressing that the project is being closely followed to address implementation challenges and accelerate progress.

Abiy made the remarks during a visit to Gode on Sunday together with African business magnate Aliko Dangote, where they reviewed ongoing construction works of the large-scale fertilizer plant being developed in partnership with the Dangote Group.

The Prime Minister said the visit reflects the government’s commitment to closely monitor and support the project, ensuring that any emerging challenges are addressed promptly to keep implementation on track and, where possible, accelerate delivery.

He emphasized that food self-sufficiency remains the country’s main agenda, noting that the fertilizer project is central to achieving this national priority.

He noted that the goal is to complete the fertilizer plant in the shortest possible time, adding that efforts are underway to shorten the originally planned construction period of 40 months.

Abiy recalled that the project was agreed upon a few months earlier with Dangote Group for a facility designed to produce 3 million tons of fertilizer annually, with an initial understanding that it would be completed within 40 months. He said the current focus is to deliver it in less time than originally planned.

The Prime Minister further stated that preparations are underway for associated infrastructure, including housing for up to 5,000 people at the project site, as well as works involving water supply and site leveling to support large-scale construction activities.

He also noted that resources are being mobilized for upcoming phases of the project, describing progress observed on site as encouraging.

Abiy emphasized that the fertilizer project represents a key national priority expected to help resolve one of Ethiopia’s major structural challenges by significantly boosting domestic fertilizer production and reducing import dependence.

He added that Aliko Dangote has demonstrated strong commitment to the project, contributing financial resources, technical expertise, and professional support as agreed.

The Prime Minister further stated that, with close coordination and sustained support from federal and regional authorities, the project will become a major transformative investment for Ethiopia, comparable in strategic importance to large national economic drivers.

He also noted that investments in the Gode area are expected to generate substantial economic returns and transform the region’s development profile, adding that the scale of investment in the area is significant and will have a long-term impact on Ethiopia’s economic structure and industrial capacity.

The Gode Fertilizer Factory project is being developed by Ethiopian Investment Holdings in partnership with the Dangote Group. The shareholders’ agreement for the project was signed in August 2025 in Addis Ababa in the presence of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, while construction was officially launched in Gode, Somali Regional State, in October 2025. The project is designed to produce 3 million metric tons of urea fertilizer annually and is considered a strategic investment aimed at strengthening Ethiopia’s agricultural productivity, food security, and industrial development.