André Baya
Rainmakers & Potstirrers

André Baya

CEO: Kore Potash

www.korepotash.com

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‘I am more than certain that this project is finally going to happen’

AFTER two years of effort, André Baya’s Kore Potash finally landed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for its Kola Potash Project in the Republic of the Congo (RoC). Situated two hours’ drive from the country’s main port, Pointe-Noire, the project has the power to catalyse the RoC’s nascent mining sector. PowerChina is behind the EPC. With its signing settled, project financing will swiftly follow via the Summit Africa consortium which has the United Arab Emirates as a participant. 

Based on a 2018 definitive feasibility study, Kola will supply 2.1 million tons of ‘muriate of potash’ annually to Brazil and other markets in Africa. The RoC is a ‘neutral’ producer as it’s not aligned with either of the world’s major potash producers, Russia/Belarus or US/Canada. Baya also believes Kola could be one of the world’s cheapest suppliers as the mine will be only 250 metres at its deepest. The investment case for the potash market is that arable land and yield per capita is falling as the world’s population increases. Nine billion people will be walking Planet Earth by 2050 requiring 50% more potash to cultivate the crops to feed them, according to World Bank estimates. That’s a lot of mouths to feed. 

BHP and Anglo American are throwing their chips (pun intended) on the future food market, so let’s hope Kola gets traction given it was once troubled. It’s worth remembering that only two years ago, the RoC temporarily detained Kore employees amid a dispute. Kore shareholders will be hoping this is the moment having invested $280m over 14 years.

LIFE OF ANDRé

Before joining Kore in April last year, Baya consulted on the corporate re-engineering of Fraser Alexander in South Africa. But he had wide experience of Africa including time in Gabon and the Republic of the Congo. He also worked in agribusiness and the chemicals business between 1985 and 2001, so Kore looks like a perfect match. In mining, he has worked for Sundance Resources, Cominco, Roxgold, Alliance Mining Commodities, Orezone and Central Copper Resources. He was also COO for the African facilities of Moroccan company Managem Group.

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