Gladys Nweke
Due to the anticipated rising demand for fertilizers on the African the continent, Nigeria’s leading fertilizer, agro-allied, petrochemical and power producer, Notore Chemical Industries, has gone into advanced talks with Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan and other international investors for the construction of a new plant at its facility in Onne, in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The planned expansion will add a second train to the company’s existing plant, tripling capacity from the facility, and meet its goal of becoming a net exporter of fertilisers to other countries in Africa and beyond.
According to company sources, the Train 2 plant will co-produce 1,000,000 metric tonnes (MT) of fertilizer per annum and 500,000MT of methanol.
Notore’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr Onajite Okoloko, who confirmed the expansion plans, said preliminary studies have started for the construction of the second train, which will be done at the company’s certified Brownfield site.
He said, discussions are in progress with Mitsubishi and other investors while preliminary studies have started for Train 2, which will co-produce 1,000,000MTPA of fertiliser per annum and half a million metric tonnes of methanol annually at Notore’s certified brownfield site.
“This together with its existing plant is expected to achieve an aggregate increase in Notore’s fertilizer production capacity from 500,000MTPA to approximately 1,500,000MTPA of fertilizer and also introduce 500,000MTPA of other petrochemicals.
“So, we see a good future for Notore and more fertiliser that will be sold to the domestic market far and wide”