Dangote Industries has appointed Ralph Mupita, the Chief Executive Officer of MTN Group, to the board of Dangote Fertiliser Limited.
The appointment, confirmed by Vishwajit Sinha, Managing Director of Dangote Fertiliser, in an email response to Bloomberg, comes as the company plans to expand its operations and list the business on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
This strategic move is seen as a precursor to Dangote Fertiliser’s proposed initial public offering (IPO), which is expected later in 2026. The company currently produces around 3 million metric tonnes of granulated urea annually at its $2.5 billion production facility in Lagos. It has ambitious plans to become the world’s largest fertiliser producer by 2028.
Mupita’s appointment brings valuable expertise in capital markets and corporate governance at a critical time as Dangote Fertiliser prepares to open its ownership structure to public investors. Mupita is credited with leading the successful listing of MTN Nigeria on the NGX in 2019, a milestone that has significantly boosted MTN’s market value. Under his leadership, MTN Nigeria’s revenues have grown more than fourfold, making it one of the most valuable stocks on the NGX, with a market capitalisation of approximately $8.6 billion.
Having served as CEO of MTN Group for over five years, Mupita has vast experience in both corporate leadership and financial strategy. Before MTN, he held senior roles at South African financial services group Old Mutual. His engineering background also aligns with the technical and industrial scale of Dangote’s operations, further strengthening the company’s leadership team.
As part of its growth strategy, Dangote Fertiliser is planning to expand its Lagos facility and begin construction on a new fertiliser plant in Ethiopia this year. These moves are aimed at strengthening the company’s presence across Africa. Additionally, Dangote Group is preparing to list its refinery business, with IPOs expected to raise fresh capital, increase transparency, and broaden ownership among both local and international institutional investors.
Mupita’s appointment comes amid rising demand for agricultural inputs across the continent. Africa, with its rapidly growing population, presents significant opportunities for large-scale fertiliser producers like Dangote. According to the African Development Bank, the agricultural sector could become a $1 trillion market by 2030. However, challenges such as low fertiliser usage, limited access to finance, and weak infrastructure still constrain productivity, creating a major opportunity for companies like Dangote Fertiliser to drive growth in the sector.
