CandelFze

What CandelFze does

The Candel Company Limited is a Nigerian private limited liability company (RC 204522) incorporated on September 10, 1992, that develops, manufactures, and distributes agrochemicals, specialized fertilizers, seeds, and allied agricultural inputs to farmers in West Africa. Its operations span Nigeria (7 regional offices), Ghana (5 territorial offices), and Côte d'Ivoire, with distribution executed through direct field-sales agronomists and a multi-tier distributor network covering all geopolitical regions in those markets. The portfolio comprises 30+ registered products across herbicides (e.g., Delsate 360 SL, Tackle 360 SL, Orizo Plus SC, Premaiz), insecticides (Termicid, Delthrin, Capsida, Delvap), foliar fertilizers (Boost Xtra, CocoBoost), certified and hybrid seeds (SNK 2778 hybrid maize, FARO 44/45 rice), and complementary spray equipment (Pulmic, Raptor 16).

Underlying technical capability centers on the Candel FZE formulation factory at the Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, commissioned on May 26, 2016, which produces Soluble Liquid (SL), Suspension Concentrate (SC), and Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC) formulations in HDPE packaging (1L, 5L, 25L). The company's distinctive product architecture is its conservation tillage packages — R-Box (rice) and M-Box (maize) — which integrate seed recommendations, specialized fertilizers, and crop protection chemistries into complete-cultivation kits; CocoBoost targets cocoa with a high-phosphorous-potassium formulation designed to induce tolerance to capsids, sucking bugs, and black pod disease.

The business model is sales-led: revenue is generated through one-time product sales (agrochemicals, fertilizers, seeds, spray equipment) channeled via distributors and supported by field agronomists who provide on-farm technical guidance. Customer segments include smallholder farmers (rice, maize, cassava, yam, vegetables), commercial farm operations, and plantation-crop growers (cocoa, rubber, oil palm, citrus). Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The company holds leadership roles in CropLife Nigeria (Technical Committee chairmanship, Pesticide Bill Drafting Committee secretaryship) and hosted the CropLife Africa Middle East Hub meeting in Abuja in May 2016, signaling industry-policy influence. Ownership is founder-controlled (Charles Anudu serves as Chairman following his tenure as MD/CEO) with no external private equity or venture capital detected.

Name

CandelFze

Legal name

THE CANDEL COMPANY LIMITED

Website

https://candelcorp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Candel Company Limited is a Nigerian agrochemical firm that develops, manufactures, and distributes crop protection products, foliar fertilizers, hybrid and certified seeds, and spray equipment to smallholder and commercial farmers across Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Crop Protection Products

NAICS

Pesticide and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (32532), Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing (3253), Chemical Manufacturing (325)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Crop Protection Formulations (EC, SC, WG, WP, SL) (AFABAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Label & White-Label Agrochemical Manufacturing (AFABAIAH), Formulation R&D, Scale-Up & Tech Transfer Services (AFABAIAJ), Packaging, Filling & Repacking Services (bottling, bagging, relabeling) (AFABAIAG), Regulatory, Quality & EHS Compliance Services for Toll Manufacturing (QA/QC, SDS, REACH/EPA support) (AFABAIAK)

Keywords

• Crop protection products
• Agrochemical formulations
• Foliar fertilizers
• Agricultural seeds
• Spray equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Agrochemical Product Sales: Development, manufacturing, and distribution of crop protection products including herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. Products sold through distributor network across Nigeria and Ghana with over 30 registered products in portfolio.
2. Specialized Fertilizer Sales: Production and distribution of foliar fertilizers (Boost Xtra, CocoBoost) and specialized fertilizer products for various crops including rice, maize, cocoa, and vegetables.
3. Seeds Distribution and Sales: Distribution of certified seeds (rice FARO 44 & 45) and developed hybrid maize variety (SNK 2778 released 2012). Distribution of open pollinated and hybrid vegetable seeds.
4. Spray Equipment Sales: Distribution of spray equipment including Pulmic sprayers (1L, 2L, 20L), Raptor 16 knapsack sprayer, motorized sprayers/mist blowers, and hood attachments for directed spray applications.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Candel Company Limited develops, manufactures, and distributes agrochemical formulations (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides), specialized foliar fertilizers, certified and hybrid seeds, integrated crop production kits (R-Box for rice and M-Box for maize), and spray equipment to farmers across West Africa. The company operates a first-class agrochemical formulation factory at the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos producing Soluble Liquid, Suspension Concentrate, and Emulsifiable Concentrate formulations, and sells its 30+ registered products through a nationwide distributor network with regional offices in Nigeria and Ghana.

Product overview

The Candel Company Limited is an agrochemical and agricultural inputs company that develops, markets, and distributes crop protection products and agricultural solutions across West Africa. The product portfolio consists of crop protection products (herbicides, insecticides, fungicides), foliar fertilizers (Boost Xtra and CocoBoost), agricultural production kits (R-Box for rice and M-Box for maize), certified seeds (hybrid maize SNK 2778 and rice FARO 44 & 45), spray equipment (Pulmic sprayers, Raptor 16, motorized mist blowers), and agrochemical formulations in various packaging. The company operates a formulation factory at Lekki Free Zone in Lagos and serves markets in Nigeria, Ghana, and Côte d'Ivoire. Key brands include Delsate 360 SL, Delsate 780 WDG, Tackle 360 SL, Orizo Plus SC, Termicid, Delthrin, Capsida, and Boost Xtra.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• R-Box: Conservation tillage package for rice cultivation providing all required inputs including vigorous seeds, specialized fertilizers and crop protection products
• M-Box
• Delsate
• Tackle
• Boost Xtra
• CocoBoost

Products and services

• Delsate 360 SL Premium non-selective herbicide made from Glyphosate (IPA salt) with 18% Tallow amine surfactant. Systemic action kills actively growing plants from roots, rhizomes, stolons, and tubers; inactivated on contact with soil. Packaged in 1L and 5L bottles. For farmers and distributors across West Africa.
• Delsate 780 WDG Premium non-selective herbicide made from Glyphosate (IPA salt) with 18% Tallow amine surfactant. Wettable Dry Granules dissolve completely in water without clogging sprayer nozzles, with longer shelf life (>3 years) and systemic mode of action.
• Tackle 360 SL High-quality Glyphosate herbicide made from Ammonium salt with APG surfactant. Non-selective systemic herbicide killing weeds from roots, rhizomes, stolons, and tubers; inactivated on soil contact. Available in 1L and 5L bottles.
• Paraq 200 SL Non-selective herbicide made from Paraquat Dichloride with no residual soil activity and reduced dependence on soil moisture. Functions as both defoliant and desiccant. Available in 1L bottles.
• Orizo Plus SC Formulation of Propanil 360g/L + 2,4-D amine 200g/L. Highly selective post-emergence herbicide combining contact and systemic modes of action for control of annual and perennial broad-leaved weeds in cereals, particularly rice.
• Premaiz Atrazine-based herbicide (500g/L as Suspension Concentrate) for systemic and soil-acting control of annual seedling weeds in Sorghum, Maize, Sugarcane, Yam, and Cassava.
• Delzine Herbicide for broad-spectrum weed control in Maize, Sorghum, Millet, and lawn applications.
• Diutop Herbicide for weed control in Cassava and Yam crops.
• Termicid Chlorpyriphos-based insecticide (200g/L and 480g/L) for contact control of termites, mites, crawling insects, caterpillars, and borers in field crops and plantation crops.
• Delthrin Lambda Cyhalothrin-based insecticide (25g/litre) for contact and systemic control of worms, weevils, bugs, thrips, caterpillars, mites, loopers, miners, whiteflies, and grasshoppers in vegetables, cereals, legumes, root, tuber crops, and plantation crops.
• Zap Cypermethrin-based insecticide (100g/litre) for contact, stomach poison, shock, and repulsion control of various insects in cereals, legumes, root, tuber crops, and plantation crops.
• Capsida Imidacloprid-based insecticide (200g/litre) for control of sting bugs, capsids, beetles, borers, and mealy bugs in cereals, legumes, vegetables, cotton, cowpea, and soyabean.
• Delvap Combination insecticide (30g/litre Cypermethrin + 250g Dimethoate) for contact, stomach poison, and systemic control of worms, weevils, bugs, thrips, caterpillars, mites, loopers, miners, whiteflies, and borers.
• Boost Xtra Liquid foliar fertilizer containing N:P:K in the ratio 20:20:20 plus trace elements for foliar absorption. Used in both lowland and upland ecologies for Maize, Rice, Sorghum, Potatoes, Tomatoes, Carrot, Cabbage, Onions, Pepper, Water Melon, Leafy Vegetables, Ornamentals, and Nursery Trees. Improves tolerance to weeds, diseases, insect pests, drought, and nutrient deficiency.
• CocoBoost Liquid fertilizer containing N:P:K in the ratio 8.3:32.4:21.1 plus trace elements for balanced nutrition particularly in Cocoa. Enriched with high phosphate and potassium which induces tolerance to capsids, sucking bugs, and black pod disease.
• M-Box Maize Conservation Tillage Package Complete maize cultivation package providing all required inputs including vigorous seeds, specialized fertilizers, and crop protection products tailored to maize production to guarantee optimum yield and quality.
• R-Box / NERI-Box Rice Conservation Tillage Package Complete rice cultivation package providing all required inputs including vigorous seeds, specialized fertilizers, and crop protection products tailored for rice cultivation to guarantee optimum yield and quality.
• SNK 2778 Hybrid Maize Seed Hybrid maize variety developed and released by Candel in 2012. The company is registered as a seed company in Nigeria.
• FARO 44 & 45 Certified Rice Seeds Certified rice seeds (FARO 44 and FARO 45 varieties) distributed by Candel.
• Pulmic Sprayers Hand-held sprayers in 1L and 2L capacities used for fumigation and in ornamental plants, plus 20L knapsack version used at 10 loads per hectare.
• Raptor 16 Knapsack Sprayer Versatile knapsack sprayer most used by farmers at 12 loads per hectare.
• Motorized Sprayer / Mist Blower Motorized sprayer commonly used in orchards of tree crops including Cocoa, Mangoes, Citrus, and Banana.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped Nigerian farmers significantly increase their yields and overall industry economics over 20+ years

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CropLife Africa Middle EastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2016Regional industry association. Nigeria hosted the Hub meeting of CropLife Africa Middle East in Abuja, May 10th-11th 2016, with Candel involvement in hosting.
• CropLife NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Candel Company maintains active involvement in CropLife Nigeria, the industry association for crop protection companies. Company representative Dr. Abdullahi Ndarubu serves as Chairman of Technical Committee and Secretary of Pesticide Bill Drafting Committee, indicating strategic influence on industry policy and standards.
• John Holt VenturesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJohn Holt Ventures provides office space for Candel regional offices in Ibadan, Kano, and Onitsha, indicating a co-location or shared facilities arrangement for distribution operations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Syngenta (now part of Sinochem): Global agrochemical major with patented crop protection chemistry and significant African commercial presence. Competes on herbicide and insecticide categories in Nigeria and Ghana, but with proprietary molecules and a broader portfolio.
• UPL Limited: Global agrochemical company with a strong presence in African generics and post-patent crop protection formulations. Directly comparable to Candel's formulation-led model for off-patent actives like glyphosate and atrazine.
• Corteva Agriscience: Global crop protection and seed company with active African distribution. Competes with Candel in crop protection chemicals and hybrid maize seeds — directly relevant to Candel's SNK 2778 maize hybrid and rice seed lines.
• Bayer Crop Science: Global agrochemical incumbent with a deep West African footprint through its legacy Monsanto crop protection business. Overlaps with Candel on herbicides, insecticides, and smallholder-focused solutions.

Regional players

• Export Trading Group (ETG): Pan-African agri-inputs distributor with herbicide, fertilizer, and seed distribution across multiple West African countries. Comparable geographic reach to Candel and competes for smallholder and commercial farmer relationships.
• Notore Chemical Industries: Nigerian fertilizer and agricultural inputs company. Sells to overlapping Nigerian smallholder customers but focuses on nitrogen fertilizers rather than crop protection chemistry — adjacent competitor for farmer wallet share.
• Louis Dreyfus Company (West Africa): Global agribusiness expanding into West African farm inputs and origination. Competes indirectly via farmer relationships and could crowd Candel in commercial-scale farming segments.

Direct peers

• Saro Agrosciences: Nigerian agrochemical manufacturer and distributor with herbicides, insecticides, and crop protection products across West Africa. Direct competitor in the same product categories and customer base; explicitly mentioned as a former employer of Candel's AGM Ghana.
• Dizengoff Nigeria: Long-standing Nigerian agricultural inputs distributor covering crop protection chemicals, fertilizers, and equipment. Competes head-to-head with Candel across Nigeria's smallholder and commercial farmer segments.
• African Agro Products Limited: Nigerian agrochemical company producing and distributing crop protection products. Direct competitor in West Africa; cited as prior employer of Candel's AGM Ghana, indicating overlapping talent and market positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubecandelcorp.com/index.php/youtube
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/candelfze

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CandelFze