According to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, continuous plant expansions at Indorama, Dangote Fertiliser, and other facilities are anticipated to make Nigeria a net exporter of fertiliser and urea by 2028.

This was revealed on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, during an operational trip to Indorama Eleme Petrochemical Limited in Eleme, Rivers State, by NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer Saidu Mohammed.

He stated that the purpose of the tour was to evaluate the performance, infrastructure availability, and operational status of vital assets in the midstream and downstream petroleum industries.

According to Mohammed, Nigeria would become a hub for fertiliser production and be positioned among countries that export urea if it continued to invest in and expand vital assets.

In order to promote sustainable economic growth, he continued, Nigeria is on the correct course to changing its industrial and petroleum industries.

"This country needs value-added products like urea plants and fertilisers," he declared.

According to Mohammed, Nigeria's wealth of natural resources makes it unnecessary for the country to import urea and fertiliser.

“We are optimistic that ongoing expansions at Indorama and Dangote Fertiliser plants, among others, will enable Nigeria to join the league of urea-exporting countries within the next 24 months,” he added.

The NMDPRA boss said Nigeria is targeting to become a major hub for value-added petroleum products, stressing that while the midstream sector is critical, it requires substantial investment.

Mohammed noted that the country needs between $30 billion and $50 billion in additional funding to strengthen the midstream oil and gas sector.

He added that Nigeria must look beyond energy supply and position itself as a hub for oil and gas derivatives, highlighting significant opportunities across the midstream and downstream segments.

“Fertiliser plants and other value additions to our hydrocarbon resources are essential for national growth,” he said.

He clarified that the purpose of the three-day operational tour of a few midstream and downstream facilities in Rivers State was to include industry participants at every stage of the oil and gas value chain.

Mohammed stated, "NMDPRA is prepared to offer the required support and create an enabling environment to encourage further investments."

In order to obtain a thorough understanding of industry operations, he said the authority's delegation would also tour manufacturing facilities, refineries, and gas processing plants.

Munish Jindal, the CEO of Indorama, called on the regulator to evaluate policies that are out of step with the realities of the manufacturing industry.

Thyssenkrupp Uhde Fertiliser Technology, a subsidiary of Thyssenkrupp Uhde, reportedly signed a strategic agreement with Dangote Fertiliser Limited in November 2025 to license its cutting-edge UFT Fluid Bed Granulation Technology for four new urea granulation plants in Nigeria.

The technological license, a thorough Process Design Package (PDP), and the provision of proprietary machinery, such as scrubbers and granulators, are all covered by the agreement.

The article states that the four new units will each have a nameplate capacity of 4,235 metric tonnes per day, for a total daily capacity of 16,940 metric tonnes.