Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is positioning itself as Africa’s fertiliser hub following the establishment of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant in Dodoma that is attracting regional interest.
Itracom Fertiliser Limited (IFL) has set up a modern factory in the Nala Industrial Area with an installed capacity of one million tonnes per year.
The plant, built at a cost of $180 million, has plans to triple production in future phases and is set to be inaugurated by President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday.
Speaking separately ahead of the inaugural ceremony, various agriculture stakeholders commended the sixth phase government for the investment would attract investment and make Tanzania a regional fertiliser nucleus.
IFL research manager Catherine Senkolo described it as a major boost to agricultural transformation in Tanzania and across Africa.
“The factory produces organo-mineral fertilisers that are environmentally friendly and improve soil health,” said Dr Senkolo, who also sits on IFL’s board of directors.
“This positions Tanzania as a key supplier not only for East Africa, but also for West African countries like Nigeria and Ghana, which have expressed interest.”
Although production commenced recently, several nations—including Kenya, Malawi and Uganda—have shown keen interest.
Kenya has already collected samples for testing, while Malawi is in talks to import the fertiliser.
Dr Senkolo cited Dodoma’s strategic location and improving infrastructure—including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the upcoming Msalato International Airport and a robust road network—as key enablers of regional trade.
“This investment is a game-changer. It reduces dependency on fertiliser imports from Asia and supports regional food security,” she said, adding that IFL’s fertilisers are specifically tailored to address nutrient deficiencies common in African soils.
“Our products enhance crop yields, improve water retention and rehabilitate degraded land. The government’s increased agriculture budget will further support equitable distribution across ecological zones.”
To boost access and affordability, IFL is working with government-backed distributors and has set up regional sales centres in key farming areas.
By 2030, projections show that 80 percent of fertiliser used in Tanzania will be locally produced.
IFL deputy managing director Kenneth Masuki said the plant uses locally sourced inputs—including phosphate, lime and manure—to manufacture fertilisers under the FOMI brand.
These include FOMI Otesha, Kuzia, Nenepesha, Green, Asili I, Chai+, NPS II, Junia, Chai++ and CANS.
Mr Masuki added that successful trials had been conducted on maize, rice and vegetable farms across the country.
“This Dodoma facility is larger than our original plant in Burundi. It’s built to support Tanzania’s agricultural ambitions.”
Located on 21 hectares, the plant currently employs 1,805 people directly and is projected to create over 5,000 indirect jobs.
Introducing the inauguration early this month, Agriculture minister Hussein Bashe said the government would not restrict fertiliser exports, stressing the importance of cross-border trade for investment sustainability.
“The notion that fertiliser should be reserved only for domestic use is outdated. “We will meet local demand while also exporting to countries facing supply gaps,” he said, stressing that investors must be allowed to recover costs, earn profits and repay loans.
Mr Bashe revealed that the government is finalising a national soil health assessment to create a detailed soil map.
This will facilitate the production of custom fertiliser blends suited to each region’s needs.
The minister also underscored the plant’s use of livestock manure, providing pastoralists with a new source of income.
“The factory has already procured nearly 100,000 tonnes of manure worth Sh15 billion from local communities,” he said, urging Tanzanians to tap into this new source of income.
In another development, the minister said for the 2025/26 financial year, the government plans to purchase 200,000 tonnes of fertiliser and 50,000 tonnes of lime.
These inputs will be supplied to areas with historically low fertiliser usage as part of an outreach effort that complements the ongoing subsidy programme. Mr Bashe reaffirmed the target of sourcing 80 percent of Tanzania’s fertiliser needs locally.
Talks are currently underway with investors interested in establishing domestic urea production, using the country’s coal reserves.
IFL managing director Nduwimana Nazaire said 14 organo-mineral fertiliser blends have been developed in collaboration with the Tanzania Agriculture Research Institute (Tari) and the Tanzania Fertilizer Regulatory Authority (TFRA).
