Keys to addressing Africa’s food and energy security require strong infrastructure investments, strategic partnerships, regulatory actions and integrated solutions
Although food and energy security remains a major barrier to inclusive development across Africa, a new era is emerging, defined by an integrated approach, major infrastructure investments, and a strategic focus on leveraging the continent’s natural and human resources.
This article explores the increasing convergence of food and energy security in Africa. We focus on three major projects: the AMUFERT fertilizer plant (Angola), the Blackrose methanol plant (Nigeria), and the Indorama fertilizer plant expansion (Nigeria), examining the structural challenges, investment landscape, and growing role of industrial-scale fertilizer production in building a more resilient future. These developments signal a broader transformation in the way Africa secures the resources and tools it needs to feed its people and foster growth.
current landscape
Africa is rich in natural resources. It contains most of the world’s uncultivated arable land and holds significant oil and gas reserves. Despite this, more than one in five Africans, or about 300 million people, faced food insecurity in 2023, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Furthermore, a report from the International Energy Agency predicts that approximately 545 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will remain without access to reliable electricity by 2030.
These two challenges are not independent, but rather closely related, with each amplifying the other. Agricultural production remains constrained by low fertilizer usage, unreliable electricity supplies, and insufficient investment in agro-processing infrastructure. At the same time, much of the continent’s natural gas is untapped or flared, as midstream and downstream markets are untapped. Addressing these challenges together is now a clear priority for governments and investors.
See the full picture: Share of Africa’s population with access to electricity by 2030
Fertilizer: the strategic link between energy and agriculture
Fertilizers are at the heart of Africa’s agricultural productivity. Its availability and affordability directly affect yields, food prices and trade balances. However, fertilizer consumption in sub-Saharan Africa remains a fraction of the global average. This is mainly due to high import dependence, foreign exchange constraints, and underdeveloped distribution networks.
Domestic fertilizer production is increasingly recognized as a strategic priority and national security imperative. It reduces exposure to global supply shocks, supports local farming communities and provides a platform for industrial diversification. Most fertilizers, especially urea-based products, are produced using natural gas as a feedstock. This link between fertilizer production and gas infrastructure provides an attractive opportunity to monetize domestic energy reserves, creating the potential for countries to reduce gas flaring, increase energy efficiency, and create value in both the agricultural and energy sectors.
Focus on fertilizer production plant project
Here we explore how three industrial-scale fertilizer production plants are strengthening Africa’s food and energy security.
Amufel Fertilizer Plant
The proposed AMUFERT fertilizer plant in Africa is one of the most important fertilizer projects currently under development. The project, located in Soyo (northern Angola), aims to produce more than 1 million tons of urea and ammonia fertilizer per year. A group of financial institutions led by the African Export-Import Bank will provide approximately US$1.4 billion in financing for the construction and implementation of the project being developed by Opaia Group, the Angolan Sonangol sovereign wealth fund.
The project is a cornerstone of Angola’s broader strategy to transition from an oil-based economy to one driven by diverse value-added sectors. By harnessing Angola’s domestic natural gas for fertilizer production, AMUFERT is expected to reduce fertilizer imports, increase crop productivity, and increase regional trade capacity. Once in operation, AMUFERT will not only meet Angola’s domestic needs, but will also be poised to significantly contribute to fertilizer access throughout the region. The impacts are expected to be far-reaching, with benefits including food security, job creation, and reduced emissions by eliminating gas flaring.
indrama fertilizer factory
Nigeria is increasingly positioning itself as a regional hub for fertilizer production. A key part of this effort is Port Harcourt-based Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited. The company operates two large-scale fertilizer plants and is expanding a third nitrogen-urea fertilizer plant, increasing its total annual production capacity to approximately 4.2 million tons. A syndicate led by the International Finance Corporation provided US$1.25 billion in funding for the expansion in early 2024.
The Indorama project reflects a broader trend of industrialization from gas to fertilizer. The company uses domestic natural gas, including previously flared quantities, to produce high-quality urea fertilizer for both domestic and export markets. Integrated logistics and port access will enable Indorama to reach markets across Africa and beyond, thereby increasing regional and global access to agricultural resources.
This development also illustrates the role of blended finance and multilateral support in unlocking complex projects, highlighting how legal innovation, regulatory stability, and project financial viability can work together to attract long-term private and institutional capital that is essential for infrastructure.
black rose methanol plant
The Blackrose Methanol Project in Akwa Ibom, Nigeria, is another important example of how gas monetization can support broader agricultural and industrial value chains. The plant will be Africa’s largest gas-methanol plant, with the aim of offsetting natural gas explosions and significantly reducing CO2 emissions by turning it into valuable chemicals for the production of fertilizers, solvents, paints, plastics and auto parts. The project aims to initially produce 1.8 million tonnes of methanol per year, diversifying the local economy and creating more than 18,000 jobs. The project is led by Blackrose, a project development and investment company, with support from the African Finance Corporation’s Project Development Facility.
The project reflects an evolutionary shift towards industrial projects that bridge energy access, environmental performance and agricultural productivity. It also illustrates the depth and complexity of Africa’s project finance ecosystem, where legal structuring and risk mitigation are central to development.
Impact of midstream infrastructure development
Central to overcoming food and energy insecurity in Africa is the development of midstream infrastructure that will facilitate the transportation of natural gas across the continent. Underdeveloped midstream infrastructure is a bottleneck for investment in the production of natural gas and fertilizers, which are essential for power generation and industrial processes.
Investing in Africa’s midstream sector has become a key focus for governments and regional stakeholders. Two flagship projects, the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) and the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline (AAGP), exemplify the transformative impact that midstream infrastructure development can have on Africa’s food and energy security.
West African gas pipeline project
The West African Gas Pipeline is a pioneering effort to secure energy across Africa. WAGP delivers natural gas directly to neighboring countries over approximately 678 kilometers from the Itoki terminal in Lagos, Nigeria to Takoradi, Ghana, passing through Benin and Togo. With an initial production capacity of 170 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscfd) and a peak production capacity of 460 MMscfd, WAGP has the ability to deliver affordable and reliable natural gas power plants along the route, enabling the transition from expensive imported fuels to cleaner, cheaper gas. This transition will reduce power generation costs, alleviate exchange rate pressures by substituting locally produced gas for imported fuels, and improve the reliability of electricity supply, which is essential for socio-economic development.
Africa Atlantic Gas Pipeline
The Africa-Atlantic Gas Pipeline is another important project that represents a vision for regional energy integration from West Africa to North Africa. The pipeline is a joint initiative between the Moroccan Hydrocarbon Mining Authority and the Nigerian National Oil Company and will start from Bras Island in Nigeria, passing through 13 West African countries and ending in Morocco. It will cost approximately $25 billion and is expected to be completed by 2046.
The project is a bold move to harness Africa’s vast natural gas resources for widespread energy generation and industrialization. It is supported by major financial institutions such as the Islamic Development Bank, the OPEC International Development Fund, and the European Investment Bank. It is expected to transport up to 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year and improve energy security for approximately 400 million people.
Key Insights: Investing in Africa’s Resilience
Africa’s future prosperity depends on its ability to feed its people and stimulate its economy. Fertilizer and natural gas production lie at the nexus of these objectives. Projects such as AMUFERT, Indorama, Blackrose, the West African Gas Pipeline and the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline provide concrete examples of how energy assets can be transformed into agricultural productivity, power generation and industrial development. It also highlights the importance of strategic legal support in navigating complex regulations, securing funding and ensuring long-term sustainability.
The need for integrated planning, strong partnerships and transparent governance will only increase as governments, financial institutions and business leaders seek to expand Africa’s food and energy systems.
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