Nigeria has earned about ₦3.41 trillion from urea fertiliser exports between 2023 and the first quarter of 2026, reinforcing the country’s growing position as a leading player in the global fertiliser market.

The earnings, equivalent to $2.216 billion, were driven by increased production from major manufacturers, including Dangote Fertiliser and Indorama-Eleme Fertiliser and Chemical Limited, as well as expanding export markets across Africa, Latin America and Asia.

Trade data showed that fertiliser exports generated about $474.56 million (₦730 billion) in 2023 before rising to more than $850 million (₦1.31 trillion) in 2024. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, Nigeria earned ₦1.37 trillion from urea exports, compared to ₦855.85 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), fertiliser accounted for more than 40 per cent of Nigeria’s ₦3.19 trillion non-oil export earnings in the first quarter of 2026, making it one of the country’s top non-oil export commodities.

Industry data also showed that Nigeria’s granular urea production reached a record 4.18 million metric tonnes in 2024, representing a 13 per cent increase from the previous year. Urea exports rose by 20 per cent to 3.09 million metric tonnes, with 53 per cent of shipments going to Brazil, 22 per cent to African countries and 25 per cent to other international markets.

Industry stakeholders attributed the strong performance to Nigeria’s abundant natural gas resources, sustained investments in fertiliser production, supportive government policies and growing global demand for urea. They noted that the sector is playing a significant role in boosting foreign exchange earnings and advancing Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.