Kenya took a key step towards achieving food security with the launch of a mega fertilizer project at Olkaria in Naivasha Constituency, Nakuru County, on Monday.
President William Ruto broke ground for the construction of the Ksh 103 billion ($800m) green ammonia fertilizer project being undertaken jointly by China’s Kaishan Group and the Kenya Electricity Generating Company Limited (KenGen).
Once complete, the project will produce 480,000 tonnes (more than 9 million 50kg bags of fertilizer) annually, which he said will go a long way in cushioning farmers against unpredictable fertilizer prices.
“These challenges have inflated food costs, reduced yields, and strained household incomes,” he said.
In 2023, he said, Kenya imported more than 600,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer, and 443,000 tonnes in just the first half of 2025 worth nearly KSh60 billion.
“Each shipment represents a cost to our Treasury and a lost opportunity for our people. Today’s event marks a decisive step toward self-sufficiency and resilience in fertilizer production,” he said.
The project will tap 165MW of geothermal power to synthesize green ammonia and convert it to fertilizer, the first project of its kind in Africa.
Present at the function were Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi, Dr Yan Tang, the managing director of Kaishan Group Company Ltd, KenGen CEO Peter Njenga, MPs and MCAs, among other leaders.
President Ruto said the venture will prevent more than 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year, equivalent to getting 130,000 internal combustion engine cars off the road.
The project will also create more than 2,000 jobs during its two-year period of construction, and President Ruto urged the project owners to prioritize members of the local community in employment.
The President said the investment is commercially sound and is projected to generate more than $13 million (KSh 1.7 billion) in annual profits for KenGen.
It will also open new frontiers for the generation of carbon credit trading under international climate mechanisms.
“Green fertilizer will give Kenyan exports a competitive edge, open new markets for our agri-business, and strengthen our position in global value chains,” he said.
The President said the new initiative is a ringing endorsement of Kenya as an ideal destination for foreign investors seeking opportunities in the continent.
“It demonstrates investor confidence in Kenya and gives us and indication of what investors are looking for,” he said.
He said Kenya must leverage private sector resources to drive key infrastructure projects, including those in the road and energy sectors.
“It is no longer possible for us to borrow money to build projects such as this plant or even the Rironi-Mau Summit road,” he said.
The President called on MPs and Kenyans to rally behind the proposed National Infrastructure Fund and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, which will be tabled in Parliament soon, to help raise at least KSh4.5 trillion to fund roads, dams and energy projects across the country.
“Together, we are called upon to dream boldly, act decisively, and deliver a future of shared prosperity,”
