Morocco’s OCP Group to set up a fertilizer plant in Kenya

Negotiations are currently underway between the Moroccan phosphates group OCP and Kenya for the setting up of a fertilizer plant in Kisumu, the third largest city in Kenya after Nairobi and Mombasa.

In this connection, the head of the Orange Democracy Movement (ODM), the main opposition party in Kenya, Raila Odinga, is currently visiting Morocco to negotiate the project with the OCP group.

Raila Odinga held a series of meetings on Friday in Rabat, including with OCP Group CEO Mostafa Terrab, to seal the deal, Kenyan The Standard newspaper reported Saturday.
The paper explained that the choice of Kisumu is considered strategic as most countries in sub-Saharan Africa import fertilizers to boost their agricultural output.

The newspaper said Raila Odinga was impressed by the infrastructure and development of Morocco, including the fastest train on the continent that connects Casablanca to Tangier.

The newspaper also revealed that Kisumu Governor, Anyang ‘Nyong’o, confirmed the information on the forthcoming setting up in the city of a fertilizer manufacturing unit.

The Governor told the paper he postponed a visit to Morocco initially scheduled for next week to a later date, because the city of Kisumu hosts a national meeting April 12 to 14. “We postponed the trip to a later date,” Nyong’o said.

He welcomed plans to install the fertilizer plant, saying that Kisumu’s strategic location as a regional hub should benefit investors.

“When the Standard Gauge Railway finally reaches Kisumu, the goods will then be loaded into ships crossing Lake Victoria to serve other regional destinations,” he said, adding that Morocco’s choice as a project partner was to take advantage of its advanced technology in the field of fertilizers and agriculture in general.

OCP is also carrying out fertilizer projects in Ethiopia and Rwanda.