Nigeria looks to Morocco to boost its food security

Nigeria partnered with Morocco to achieve its food security through an increase in use of fertilisers, Nigerian President Muhammadou Buhari said.

“We are taking our focus on agriculture to the next level,” said Buhari in a tweet.

 

Nigeria has Africa’s largest population standing at more than 160 million people with agriculture representing about 40% of GDP, making food security a pressing issue in the oil-rich country.

“In our first term, we partnered with Morocco to revive abandoned fertilizer blending plants across the country,” said Buhari in his tweet.

 

The Nigerian blenders are developed by Morocco’s phosphates giant, OCP, which launched similar projects across the continent to produce customized fertilizers specific to the needs of different African soils.

 

OCP is also planning a fertilizer plant in Nigeria and probably in Ghana where feasibility studies are underway.

Besides agriculture, Morocco and Nigeria are cooperating to launch a gas pipeline that would be beneficial for west Africa’s energy security and economic integration.