China Could Restore Congo's Potash Production Before Dangote
Congo expects to resume potash production in early 2027 through the Chinese-backed Mboukoumassi project, ending decades without commercial output. The project is the most advanced among several large developments, including Aliko Dangote's planned $3 billion fertilizer venture. Whether Congo becomes a major potash producer will depend on developers' ability to. . .
Congo expects to resume potash production in early 2027 through the Chinese-backed Mboukoumassi project, ending decades without commercial output. The project is the most advanced among several large developments, including Aliko Dangote's planned $3 billion fertilizer venture. Whether Congo becomes a major potash producer will depend on developers' ability to meet construction, financing, and infrastructure milestones. The Republic of Congo expects to resume commercial potash production in early 2027, according to Minister of Mining Industries and Geology Urbain Fiacre Opo. Speaking at the Mining on Top Africa conference in Paris on July 7-8, the minister said the local subsidiary of China's Shenzhen Luyuan Mining Investment plans to begin production trials by the end of 2026 before moving to full operations in the first quarter of 2027. If the timetable holds, the project would mark the first concrete step in reviving a potash industry that has been dormant for decades and pave the way for other large-scale developments, including a project backed by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote. "Luyuan des Mines will develop the Mboukoumassi potash deposit. Construction of the plant is underway and, according to the company's schedule, production trials will begin by the end of 2026. Commercial production could start in the first quarter of 2027,"the minister said. Mboukoumassi Leads the WayThe Mboukoumassi project is currently the closest to reaching production. Luyuan holds a mining permit covering a 242-square-kilometer area in the Kouilou region. Under the mining agreement signed in 2018 and approved by Parliament in 2021, the first phase is designed to produce 600,000 tons of potassium chloride annually, with the potential to expand to 2 million tons per year. The agreement also includes transport and export infrastructure. In September 2025, the government approved the allocation of 577 hectares of public maritime land for an export terminal that will be operated by the company. Even so, the project's timeline warrants caution. Construction began in 2018-2019 before being suspended in 2020 because of financial constraints and weaker investment. Work officially resumed in 2023, but production targets have been revised several times. In May 2023, project officials expected construction to be completed by the end of 2025. By August 2024, Luyuan des Mines Congo CEO Wu Bennong said production trials would begin before the end of 2025, with output reaching 800,000 tons in 2026. The minister's latest comments therefore represent another milestone rather than a definitive breakthrough. Dangote and Kola Could Transform the IndustryWhile Mboukoumassi is expected to restart production, the project attracting the most attention is Dangote Fertilizer Limited Congo. On June 18, 2026, Congo's Council of Ministers approved a mining permit for the Mengo potash deposit in Kouilou. The deposit is estimated to contain about 325 million tons of proven reserves, with production planned in three phases ranging from 1 million to 3 million tons annually. The Nigerian group also plans to build an NPK fertilizer plant as part of an investment estimated at $3 billion, although feasibility studies and environmental and social impact assessments have yet to be completed. Another major project is Kola, owned by Kore Potash, which holds a 97. 46% interest in both the Kola and Dougou Extension projects within the Sintoukola Basin. Kore Potash plans to produce 2. 2 million tons of potash annually over a 23-year mine life, with an initial investment estimated at $2. 07 billion. The company has signed an engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract with PowerChina and, in June 2025, reached a non-binding agreement with Swiss investment fund OWI-RAMS to secure roughly $2. 2 billion in financing. Construction, however, has yet to begin. The latest update from Kore Potash suggests the project is now undergoing a change in ownership. On June 30, 2026, the company said two parties remained engaged in the formal sale process launched in November 2025 after receiving takeover interest for the entire company. No binding offer has yet been secured. For Brazzaville, the coming months will determine whether Congo's potash industry moves from ambitious plans to actual production. Key indicators will include whether Luyuan meets its revised production schedule, progress on the export terminal, tangible developments at the Mengo project, and financing milestones for Kola. While Congo's potash resources are well established, the industry's revival will ultimately depend on developers' ability to meet deadlines, secure financing, and build a competitive fertilizer value chain. Emiliano Tossou