Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, initiated construction of a $2.5 billion urea fertilizer plant in Ethiopia’s Somali region on October 5. The Gode facility, a joint venture with Dangote Group holding 60% and Ethiopian Investment Holdings 40%, will produce three million metric tons annually using natural gas from local fields via a 108-kilometer pipeline. The project aims to reduce Africa’s fertilizer import costs, enhance food security, and create thousands of jobs in the region.