Proposed Dangote sugar factory in Ghana to slash $162 million sugar import bill

The Dangote Group, Africa’s largest industrial conglomerate, has revealed advanced plans to establish a sugar factory in Ghana; a move poised to significantly reduce the country’s $162 million annual sugar import bill.

According to the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, Anthony Chiejina such initiatives will spotlight how African industry is scaling across borders, powering jobs and building AfCFTA supply chains.

At the ongoing Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in Algiers, this landmark announcement during the “Dangote Day” session has stirred optimism across Africa’s economic and industrial policy circles.

The announcement aligns with the Fair’s broader agenda of accelerating intra-African trade and industrial self-reliance under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) framework.

Talking to Business & Financial Times at the Company’s dedicated pavilion, Mr Chiejina emphasized the strategic importance of Ghana in the Group’s West African expansion. With feasibility studies completed and stakeholder consultations underway.

He stressed that, the proposed sugar facility is expected to leverage Ghana’s fertile agricultural zones and existing trade infrastructure. The project will not only enhance domestic sugar production but also serve as a regional export hub, reinforcing Ghana’s role in Africa’s agro-industrial transformation.

Economic policymakers across the continent have welcomed the initiative as a timely intervention in Ghana’s import-dependent sugar sector. The factory is projected to create thousands of jobs across farming, processing, and logistics, while stimulating rural economies and reducing foreign exchange outflows.

The IATF, co-convened by Afreximbank, the African Union Commission, and the AfCFTA Secretariat, has drawn over 2,000 exhibitors and 48 participating countries, making it the largest edition since its inception in 2018.

The Dangote Group’s presence has been particularly influential, with its showcase of cement, fertilizer, and refinery projects underscoring the Company’s commitment to Africa’s industrial revolution. The Ghana sugar factory announcement adds another layer to Dangote’s pan-African investment strategy.

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, Chair of the IATF Advisory Council has lauded the move as a “transformational step” toward Africa’s economic sovereignty. He urged governments to create enabling environments for such investments, citing the Dangote Group’s track record in delivering large-scale infrastructure and manufacturing projects.

As the trade fair continues to generate deals projected to exceed $44 billion, the Dangote Group’s Ghanaian sugar venture stands out as a beacon of strategic industrialization.

For Ghana, it signals a shift from dependency to production; for Africa, it reinforces the power of continental collaboration. Economic stakeholders will be watching closely as the project moves from blueprint to reality.

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