Compound fertilizer: Nigerian NPK import ban appears chaotic

Although the Nigerian government’s import ban has been implemented by the end of 2018, there is growing speculation about the possibility of NPKs importing in Nigeria. What fuels this speculation is that domestic importers are looking for 15-15-15 sources of supply. At least two inquiries appeared on the market, totaling more than 65,000 tons.

 

In addition, the Nigerian government has restricted the circulation of compound fertilizers in four key states in the Northeast because of concerns about the extraction of nitro compounds from the mixture for the manufacture of explosives. However, given that Nigeria has almost no manufacturing capacity for compound fertilizers, some industry insiders have linked import bans in the Northeast to increased imports. However, suppliers are more cautious and believe that the risk of selling to this market is too great.

 

Elsewhere, India's Aries Fertilizer Company has submitted the lowest offer in the NFL bid, with a price tag of US$303.5/tonCFR for (made in China). The tender is 50,000 tons 20-20-0+13, and the NFL proposes CFR price of $300.

 

At the same time, the latest statistics show that China’s NPK exports continued to grow after China’s export tariffs were lifted in 2019, and exports rose by 640% in the first quarter.