Algeria and Egypt expand phosphate and fertilizer production

Algeria and Egypt are significantly expanding their phosphate and fertilizer production capacities to boost exports and industrial value.

In Algeria, the national oil company Sonatrach is advancing projects to enhance fertilizer production and port infrastructure. The Italian firm Saipem is set to produce 3.2 million tons of concentrated phosphate annually at the Bled El Hadba site, alongside 2.4 million tons of phosphate fertilizers and 570,000 tons of urea at the Oued El Keberit site. Additionally, the Chinese firm CHEC has been contracted to upgrade the port of Annaba to facilitate these exports.

In Egypt, construction has begun on a $658 million phosphoric acid production complex at the Abu Tartour plateau in the Western Desert. Managed by Abu Tartour for Phosphoric Acid (AT-Phos)—a consortium including Phosphate Misr, Abu Qir Fertilizers, and Helwan Fertilizers—the project involves engineering by Chinese firms CSCEC and ECEC. The facility aims to produce 250,000 tons of high-concentration phosphoric acid annually for export via the port of Safaga, with the goal of shifting from raw material exports to high-value chemical derivatives.