Aliko Dangote’s sugar business eyes Ghana’s $162 million import market

Key Points

• Dangote Sugar’s Ghana project will crush 12,000 tons of cane daily, spanning 25,000 hectares to produce refined sugar, molasses, and ethanol for local and regional markets.
• The initiative supports Ghana’s One District, One Factory policy, aiming to slash the country’s $162 million sugar import bill and drive rural economic development.
• Dangote’s move aligns with AfCFTA goals, boosting food security and regional trade, as demand for sugar and bio-based products rises across West Africa.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, is expanding his conglomerate’s agro-industrial footprint in West Africa, with Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc launching operations in Ghana to tap into the country’s $162 million annual sugar import market.

The move, aimed at reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported sugar, marks the start of a greenfield project in Kwame-Danso, Bono East Region. Supported by the government’s “One District, One Factory” initiative, the development is poised to transform Ghana’s sugar supply chain while driving industrial growth and rural development.

Sugar ambitions: Dangote sets sights on Ghana’s agro future

The state-of-the-art facility will have a cane-crushing capacity of 12,000 tons per day and span 25,000 hectares of irrigated sugarcane farms. Alongside refined sugar, the factory will produce high-value by-products, including molasses and fuel-grade ethanol—key to bolstering local input substitution and export potential.

With land secured and regulatory approvals obtained, Dangote Sugar is moving to establish itself as a cornerstone of Ghana’s industrialization efforts, bringing scale, technology, and employment to an economy still heavily reliant on imported refined sugar. “This is more than a factory—it’s a catalyst for sustainable development,” said Dangote Group. “Our investment aligns with Ghana’s industrial policy and our vision for pan-African self-sufficiency.”

Pan-African push: Dangote sugar expands amid food security concerns

As food security challenges and commodity price volatility deepen across Africa, Dangote Industries, founded by Africa’s richest man with a net worth of $23.2 billion, Aliko Dangote, is expanding its sugar business beyond Nigeria. The company’s new project in Ghana adds to its position as Nigeria’s largest sugar producer, with a refining capacity of 1.44 million metric tonnes, and supports its ambition to become Africa’s top integrated sugar supplier.

For the first quarter ending Mar. 31, 2025, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc reported a 74.3 percent revenue surge to N213.9 billion ($133.21 million), up from N122.73 billion ($76.41 million) a year earlier. The company trimmed its net loss to N23.65 billion ($14.72 million), compared to N68.99 billion ($42.97 million) in Q1 2024, helped by strong sales, tighter cost controls, and sustained demand.

The Ghana expansion also aligns with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), aimed at strengthening regional value chains and reducing exposure to global supply shocks. Rising demand for sugar and bio-based products across West Africa offers growth opportunities. By entering Ghana’s market, Dangote reinforces his broader goal: to scale industrial agriculture, boost intra-African trade, and cut the continent’s dependence on imports.