United Capital Fertilizer, a Zambian subsidiary of Chinese conglomerate Wonderful Group, broke ground on a $1.6 billion expansion of its facility in Chilanga, Zambia.
The company launched in 2021 as a producer of fertilizer blends. Last October it opened a $640 million plant with capacity to make 300,000 metric tons per year of urea.
The new facility will be able to produce 540,000 t of ammonia, 520,000 t of urea and 400,000 t of ammonium nitrate per year, UCF said in a press release.
UCF said the plant will be one of the largest of its kind in Africa and will help the country meet food production targets with locally made fertilizers.
The project adds to a wave of African fertilizer capacity investment aimed at reducing reliance on imports.
