Africa’s richest man backs Ghana’s industrial future with $162m sugar plant
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, has unveiled plans to build a large-scale sugar processing plant in Ghana in a bold effort to reduce the country’s dependence on sugar imports, which currently cost the nation $162 million annually.
In a LinkedIn post, Dangote revealed that the new project will be located in Kwame-Danso, Bono Region, and will fall under the Ghanaian government's "One District, One Factory" industrialisation initiative.
“A new chapter is being written in Ghana. At Dangote, we don't see a factory. We see a lever for autonomy, employment, and the transformation of our continent,” Dangote wrote.
According to Dangote, the agro-industrial complex will feature: 12,000 tons of cane crushed per day; 25,000 hectares of irrigated land; Production of sugar, molasses, and ethanol
He added that the land has been secured, permits obtained, and the project is now advancing with strong government support.
Speaking on the government’s role, financial analyst Courage Zoiku told Forbes Africa that “the government must invest in road access,” because “once production begins, there will be not just the central farm but also hundreds of out-growers around the area. Without reliable transport infrastructure, neither raw cane nor refined sugar can reach markets like Accra efficiently.”
The project is expected to create thousands of jobs and contribute to food security, rural development, and economic independence in the country.
